By Thomas Chau in New York City

With his previous three films with Jerry Bruckheimer, Nicolas Cage has played a different kind of hero. He was the mild-mannered chemistry geek in “The Rock” before strapping the long hair as an innocent prisoner in “Con Air.” In “Gone in 60 Seconds,” Cage donned the leather for his love of cars as he played a thief trying to make away with the biggest car heist in history.

In “National Treasure,” Cage has a more conventional action hero role that is reminiscent to that of Indiana Jones. Below, he reflects upon his experience the fourth time around with Jerry as well as being a self-declared comic book lover.

Q: What is it about Jerry Bruckheimer that makes you want to work with him so much?

NICOLAS: I think over the years we have cultivated a short hand. We discover what each of us brings to the table. He’s a producer that likes when his actors come up with ideas. He goes through a selection process to feel what will work to keep the train moving. Jerry has a vision. He is a movie fan and loves going to the movies. What’s unique about Jerry is that he does look in interesting places for his actors. He looks for someone unexpected. Like in “Con Air,” he picked independent film actors. He also has nostalgia for older actors. He has terrific taste in actors.

Q: Compared to the early films in your career, are you still able to find challenges and obstacles you were looking for back then?

NICOLAS: Yeah, I’ve always maintained that I see myself as a student and there is always something to learn and be challenged by and hopefully to grow from. So, absolutely.

Q: What was it about “National Treasure” that excited you?

NICOLAS: Well I think that the very thing that made me trepidacious was the same thing that intrigued me which is the idea of a man going in and stealing the Declaration of Independence, I thought, well this doesn’t seem very plausible. And a how can this actually be pulled off? I met with Jon Turteltaub. And he said, “But well, that’s interesting, he’s audacious, he’s bold” and Jerry Bruckheimer brings in a great group of technical advisors who do the research and try to figure out exactly how to make it within the context of the film seem as believable as possible. And I got to do it in a tuxedo, so that was interesting for me as well (laughs).

Q: Did you pretend like you were James Bond or reference any of the Bond movies? Or did you reference anything else to come up with the tone and style?

NICOLAS: Well, I think that comes up whenever there is a tuxedo involved. Cary Grant comes to one’s mind. It’s interesting, because in the beginning, during the rehearsal process, I wasn’t exactly sure what the tone of the movie was going to be. It was Jon Turteltaub that we can credit. He was the one who kept pushing towards a stylization, not unlike maybe what Cary Grant or Jimmy Stewart might have done back in the 30's and 40's, where they seem to have a very playful touch during these caper movies.

Q: Well how do you make that seem realistic? Breaking in to steal the Declaration of Independence?

NICOLAS: I think you have to give yourself over to the context of the movie and go along for the ride, which is what I did. I saw it for the first time the other night with the audience and I was very happy with the way it seem to work logically within the woeful suspension of disbelief. I enjoyed it. It has a certain spirit which is reminiscent with Indiana Jones, but it parts company with Indiana Jones with that there is nothing supernatural about “National Treasure.” There is enough there that we can wonder about. We can think about it in terms of, does this treasure really exist? And indeed several highly intelligent people who believe it exists have risked their life looking for this very treasure.

Q: Do you see yourself as bold as this guy?

NICOLAS: Without going into too much detail, I have had my obsessions and he certainly is a character who is obsessed about this treasure - the marvelous templar treasure and has devoted his entire life and has groomed himself to figure out exactly what he needs to do to find it in the face of great ridicule. I think that I have been obsessed over the years with were I can go with acting or how I can challenge myself with that, if that answers your question.

Q: Have you tried out your “Ghost Rider” costume? What’s the status of that project?

NICOLAS: I haven’t. I am very curious about that, however. I am still in talks about that particular movie. It’s not a definite at this point.

Q: Why has that project been in limbo for so long? What’s going through your mind about it right now?

NICOLAS: Again it’s really just the vision of the movie of how it will be portrayed. It really just talks about script and things like that. It’s true that I was involved with “Ghost Rider” over three years ago and was trying to develop it with another film director. These things are very sensitive and you have to hit it with a bull’s eye or it may not work. Its best for everyone to be cautious and to make sure it’s got the right [pieces].

Q: Why do you want to make a comic book movie?

NICOLAS: Comic books for me as a young man were one of the ways I learned how to read. There were other ways too, but I was always fascinated by the mythology of them. I used to read Greek myths and I discovered a kindred spirit in the minds of Stan Lee and also DC comics and I always felt that they would be successful in film even before they became successful I knew that the big three would be, Batman, Superman and Spiderman. I guess the reason why I respond to them is that they have the fantasy of the child’s mind and their wonderful alternative world to sort of loose you in.

Q: Are there any other superheroes you want to play?

NICOLAS: I can’t think of anything. I think if this doesn’t work then that is pretty much it. I’ve never made a comic book film and ill just enjoy them as my childhood memories I don’t read them anymore its really something that came from my past.

Q: Is it true you were going to be the Green Goblin in the first “Spider-Man” movie?

NICOLAS: I was never going to do “Spider-Man,” they talked to me about playing the Green Goblin, but at the same time I was offered “Adaptation.” I wanted to play twins in the movie, that’s why I opted for “Adaptation.” I also like Spike Jonze’s work quite a bit. I also like Sam Raimi as well, but “Adaptation” would give me more of an opportunity to learn something.

Q: You were going to do “Superman Lives” too right?

NICOLAS: “Superman,” yeah, I did that. I went pretty far down the road with Tim Burton on that one. But, at the time Warner Brothers wasn’t ready to pull the trigger on the script, so to speak, because it was getting expensive and they had to be cautious with their money.

Q: Would you like to play Skeletor in John Woo’s “Masters of the Universe”?

NICOLAS: I don’t know anything about that. I do think John Woo is a terrific filmmaker. We have a good [rep] together.

"National Treasure" opens in theaters this Friday.