Nicolas Cage cast as vodka drinking dragon in Amazon's Highfire adaptation

The book, which was released earlier this year, has been described as a combination of True Detective and Pete’s Dragon, containing elements of both a crime thriller and a fantasy novel.

It centres on Highfire, a dragon who lives in alone in a Louisiana swamp and has been forced to hide among the alligators while he remembers the days when dragon ruled the Earth.

However when he encounters Squib, a human teen who has got mixed up in some trouble running booze for the local mob, the two form an unlikely friendship as they each fight for survival.

The series is being adapted by Davey Holmes, whose previous credits include working on the Get Shorty TV series and the US remake of Shameless.

It marks a rare foray into television work for Cage - who earlier in 2020 was revealed to be starring in a series about Tiger King subject Joe Exotic, reportedly playing the lead role.

Cage is best known for his film work, with highlights from his long career including Raising Arizona, Wild at Heart, Face/Off, Adaptation and Leaving Las Vegas - the latter of which won him an Academy Award for Best Actor.

His more recent credits include cult hits such as Mandy and Colour Out of Space, while he has had voice roles in a number of films including Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse, and The Croods.

This series will be the second recent adaptation of Eoin Colfer's work - with his landmark Artemis Fowl series having been adapted into a Disney film directed by Kenneth Branagh earlier this year.

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