Nicolas Cage will take a starring role in action thriller 'Medallion'.

The 46-year-old actor - who was recently filmed launching a foul-mouthed rant at passers-by in Romania - will play a former master thief who has a few hours to find his daughter who has been kidnapped and put in the back of a medallion taxi in New York City.

Simon West is to direct the project, which has previously had both Clive Owen and Jason Statham attached in the past, with former journalist David Guggenheim writing The Script, according to Heat Vision Blog.

Matthew Joynes, Jesse Kennedy and McG are to produce the project alongside James Holt.

Millennium Films - who have worked with Nicolas on 'The Wicker Man' and forthcoming movie 'Drive Angry' - are financing the project.

The Oscar-winning actor is currently filming the follow up to action fantasy movie 'Ghost Rider' and has a number of projects coming up next year including 'Drive Angry' and 'Trespass'.

He has also voiced the role of Grug in animated adventure movie 'The Croods', due for release in 2012.