Michael Caine hints at a curtain call for his illustrious career following his latest role

Michael Caine is a giant of the silver screen. After a career that has spanned over eight decades and with more than 160 film appearances to his name, Caine has certainly left his mark on cinema in a way that few actors ever get the chance to do.

However, it seems Caine’s final act may be drawing closer after the Alfie star hinted that his latest acting credit may be his final one.

Caine dropped the bombshell during a recent interview with The Telegraph, in which he was discussing his role in the upcoming film The Great Escaper.

“I was so happy to do it,” he told the publication.

“I just loved the character of Bernie. I thought he was incredible, and it’s so beautifully written.

“With Covid and all that, I hadn’t done a picture for three years, and I thought I was finished.

“And I suddenly did it – and had such a wonderful time.”

Although the acting legend enjoyed his time working on the film he did admit to struggling to get around on set nowadays given that he “can’t walk properly and all that”.

“They gave me a very good walking stick, and I was able to do scenes that needed that,” he explained.

“I’d just do them once, and then fall over. But just one take, and that’s it. Forget it.

“I am bloody 90 now, and I can’t walk properly and all that.

“I sort of am retired now. Anyway.”

Should Caine step away from acting, we could see him channeling his love for storytelling into writing, as evidenced by the recent release of his first novel.

The novel, called Deadly Game, tells the story of police detective Harry Taylor who discovers a high-level criminal enterprise and is drawn into a race against time to solve the mystery of a nuclear package that has fallen into the wrong hands.

Caine has reportedly long had the desire to write a thriller but only found the time to put pen to paper when the Covid lockdowns forced people across the globe indoors.

Caine spoke with The Times about always wanting to write a thriller novel, given it’s a genre he loves to read himself.

“It’s been my ambition for years to write a thriller,” he told the publication.

“It’s the genre I most love to read, and I’ve really got a buzz out of working on Deadly Game and teaming up with Hodder once again to publish it.

“I hope readers enjoy getting to know Harry Taylor as much as I did.”