Nic Cage plays the law in Amicus

Nicolas Cage is in talks to star in crime thriller Amicus.

The Ghost Rider star is rumoured to play Rodney Smolla, a First Amendment attorney and professor at William & Mary Law School, in Richard Kelly's next film, reported Variety.

Based on the real-life case of former Motown Records producer Lawrence Horn, who hired a hitman to murder his wife, quadriplegic son and his live-in nurse so he could inherit their wealth, Amicus is thought to follow the 25-year span from the initial crime, through to the trial and the victims' families' lawsuit against publisher Paladin Press, who published the 'how to' manual which the assassin used.

Financing for Amicus, which is also being written and produced by Donnie Darko filmmaker Richard, is being secured for a January start date in Atlanta.

Nicolas, who picked up an Oscar for his performance in 1995's Leaving Las Vegas, was last seen reprising his superhero role as Johnny Blaze in the Ghost Rider sequel, Spirit Of Vengeance.

His forthcoming big-screen outings include action thriller Stolen, a voice role in The Croods and thriller The Frozen Ground.