Actor Nicolas Cage’s films have grossed a collective $3.9 billion in worldwide box office receipts. Today, though, the Oscar winner owes $6 million in back taxes; in October, he sued his former money manager for $20 million, saying he was led “down a path of financial ruin,” according to court documents.

How did he do it?

Bad financial advice or not, Cage, 45, lived a super-sized life. While most of his possessions are now for sale, already sold or in foreclosure, the star once owned a staggering — and bizarre — array of, well, stuff.

Among Cage’s many, many expenditures — as tabulated by New York magazine — were the following:

One jet and two yachts.

In 2007, he outbid Leonardo DiCaprio for a dinosaur skull, shelling out $276,000 for the artifact.

His homes included three castles — plus two islands in the Bahamas. Among his “dozen or so” mansions, one Bel Air home, purchased in 1998, features a billiard room with a 1955 Jaguar parked inside plus an array of “shrunken heads.”

Out of his 50 cars, the most Cage ever shelled out was $495,000 on Lamborghini — used. (Its former owner was the shah of Iran.)

Obsessed with superheroes (he was once set to star in a Superman sequel), he sold his comics collection in 1997 for $1.6 million.

While portraying an alcoholic in Leaving Las Vegas (his Oscar-winning role) in 1995, he hired an “on set drinking-consultant-poet.”

He’s not merely a big spender when it comes to himself, either. He proposed to Patricia Arquette upon their first meeting in 1987. The actress refused, and Cage suggested he go on a “quest” to prove his love. Arquette challenged Cage to track down a laundry list of odd items: an autograph from author JD Salinger, a “Bob’s Big Boy” statue and a Tibetan wedding dress. Cage fulfilled his “quest,” but it took him another eight years to convince Arquette marry him in 1995. (They divorced six years later.)

Cage and his third wife, Alice Kim, have a four year-old son, Kal-El (named, naturally, after Superman.)

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Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage is reportedly putting his Somerset castle on the market in a bid to free up some cash.

Midford Castle, an 18th-century property which sits in 47 acres of parkland and woodland, was snapped up by the star for $10 million in 2007.

It’s the latest in a property-selling marathon for the Con Air actor.

He recently sold a home in Bath, worth £4 million, a $3.55-million New Orleans mansion and his $35-million Hollywood estate.

The news comes shorty after the actor was ordered to pay over $6 million in overdue taxes.

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Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage now has the IRS after him.

A lien has been placed on the actor’s real estate holdings because he owes $6 million in back taxes dating from 2007, PEOPLE reports.

The ‘National Treasure’ star also has another lien for over $350,000 in unpaid taxes dating from 2003 to 2005.

There has been no comment from the actor or his reps.

Pop Eater

Nine people have been hospitalized after a stunt went awry causing a major crash on the set of Nick Cage’s new film.   This crash occurred only 2 days after another high-speed stunt went wrong.

In the early hours on Wednesday, an out of control SUV smashed into a parked car near the set of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice in the busy and tourist heavy Times Square district of NYC.  The driver was on course to hit a taxi, but swerved at the last minute to hit the unoccupied parked vehicle which caused both cars (Taxi and SUV) to jump the curb and careen into the area the crew was in.  The victims were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

This followed Monday’s incident when a Ferrari skidded on a wet road, hitting a bystander, and knocking over a lamppost which hit yet another pedestrian.

Careful you guys!

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photo: Bauer-Griffin

Check out what Nicolas looks like in character after the jump! (And why is he always in a wig!? Let the poor man be bald!) (more…)

Nicolas Cage currently staying in Vienna, Austria, shooting for the movie `Seasons of the Witch’, which takes place for about two weeks in Lower Austria at Burg Kreuzenstein. Nicolas was attending a performance of Igor Strawinski’s `The Rake’s Progress’ at the Theater-an-der-Wien with his family.

Next to him are wife Alice Kim, and 18 year old son Weston Coppola Cage.

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Check out the creepy guy behind him!

UPDATE: As was pointed out to me, the “creepy guy” in the back is actually Nick’s son, Weston Coppola Cage.  How anyone can tell from the sliver of his face that’s showing, is beyond me!  Even if he is his son, he’s still creepy looking!  Weston is Nick’s 17 year old son.  Apparently (and don’t shoot me for not knowing this!) Weston is really into heavy metal, and in April played a “symphonic black metal” show in Anaheim.  So there you have it!

WENN