Frank Caliendo chimes in following ‘Madden’ trailer backlash

David O. Russell gathered Nicolas Cage, Christian Bale, and a horde of Hollywood elite for Madden, a movie that Awful Announcing’s very own Sean Keeley said, at least from its trailer, appears to be “farcical comedy.”

If Russell’s North Star was comedy, then why isn’t famed John Madden impressionist Frank Caliendo in the Madden biopic?

Madden, who died five years ago, allegedly hated Caliendo’s impression so much he considered a lawsuit, but Cage’s Madden is astronomically worse.

Here is the full-length trailer for the new Madden movie. Thoughts??? pic.twitter.com/aNZ3jSSTXY

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 24, 2026

This week, Amazon Prime Video released the full-length Madden trailer, and it’s safe to say people didn’t love it.

“This literally sounds nothing like John Madden,” Jeff Goodman wrote on X. Tim Brando replied, seemingly sarcastically, “Jeff, did ya think they were going to cast @FrankCaliendo in the role? I hear what you’re saying but he may capture the Madden persona over the entirety of the film. We’ll see.”

That opened the door for Caliendo to offer his thoughts.

“They did ask me to do a zoom call with them,” Caliendo wrote to Brando. “I said ‘no’ … but if I could go hang out with Cage, I’d give away some of the vocal recipe. Ha ha ha. I never heard back.”

They did ask me to do a zoom call with them. I said “no” … but if I could go hang out with Cage, I’d give away some of the vocal recipe. Ha ha ha. I never heard back.

— Frank Caliendo (@FrankCaliendo) September 25, 2026

Caliendo also posted a video showing what sounds like his impression of Cage’s impression of Madden. “Here’s how I’d have done the Madden voice for a movie,” Caliendo captured the post. “Now can everyone please stop @-ing me about this film.”

Here’s how I’d have done the Madden voice for a movie. Now can everyone please stop @-ing me about this film. pic.twitter.com/EgMOBiyl8i

— Frank Caliendo (@FrankCaliendo) September 25, 2026

This is not the first time—and, unfortunately for him, likely won’t be the last time—that Caliendo has addressed the Madden film. Last September, he appeared on The Rich Eisen Show and said he received a call and a request to audition for the role of Howard Cosell.

“I didn’t even do it, because first of all, I would be a terrible — I don’t do a Howard Cosell,” Caliendo said.

“People will tell me, they’re like, ‘You should have got it,'” Caliendo added, referencing Cage’s casting as Madden. “Like, I’m never getting a role over Nicolas Cage. That is never happening. […] Fans of me were like, ‘You should have been Madden.’ I’m like, listen, Nicolas Cage, I’m choosing him over me.”

Madden is foregoing a national theatrical release and premiering on Prime Video on Nov. 18.