The MCU's Ghost Rider Reboot Just Got Way More Likely
John Castro A new Marvel Studios reveal makes the path for Ghost Rider's reboot in the Marvel Cinematic Universe way easier, and it fits recent MCU projects.
Summary
- Ghost Rider's MCU reboot is more likely now, after a new MCU announcement.
- The new Marvel Spotlight banner will focus on standalone projects with street-level stakes, making it an ideal platform for Ghost Rider's debut.
- Ghost Rider's supernatural origins and potential crossover with other supernatural characters like Blade and Moon Knight after his debut could pave the way for the formation of the MCU's Midnight Suns.
Ghost Rider could be coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the near future, as a new reveal makes the character's MCU reboot way more likely. There are multiple versions of Ghost Rider, going from Johnny Blaze to Danny Ketch to even Frank Castle, the Punisher himself, and more. Blaze was the chosen Ghost Rider to star in two movies made before the character's film rights reverted to Marvel Studios. Despite an entertaining performance by Nicolas Cage, his two Ghost Rider movies have a hard time measuring up to even the MCU's worst entries.
Gabriel Luna then played a different version of Ghost Rider, Robbie Reyes, in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. After becoming a fan-favorite character in the series, Luna's Reyes was set to be the star of his own spinoff show; however, the Ghost Rider series ended up not moving forward. With Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. not being one of the MCU's TV shows, as it was not produced by Marvel Studios, Ghost Rider has yet to effectively appear in the MCU. A new Marvel Studios announcement hints that Ghost Rider might be coming to the MCU sooner rather than later.
Marvel Spotlight Makes Ghost Rider More Likely In The MCU
Marvel recently announced that the upcoming Echo series will be a trend-breaker for the MCU in a few ways. Echo consists of five episodes, the shortest for an MCU series yet; is rated TV-MA, a Disney+ MCU first; and is the first project in the announced Marvel Spotlight banner. According to Marvel Studios Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation Brad Winderbaum, the new label will allow the MCU to bring more standalone projects to life, with Echo being an example of a story that viewers can fully understand without watching other MCU projects. Marvel Spotlight will focus on "street-level stakes over larger MCU continuity," which is perfect for Ghost Rider.
Casting Ghost Rider For The MCU
As fans wait for Ghost Rider to finally feature in the MCU, there are many intriguing and exciting possibilities of who could play him.Ghost Rider's MCU reboot has never been closer to happening. The character is the perfect fit for a more standalone debut approach as opposed to tying him to other MCU projects from the start, as Ghost Rider's supernatural origin lends itself better for a "try-out" banner like Marvel Spotlight. Ghost Rider is also connected to the Marvel Spotlight banner in a major way, as the original comic book version of the label was responsible for Ghost Rider's debut, with the Johnny Blaze version of the character first appearing in Marvel Spotlight issue 5 in 1972.
Why The MCU Needs Ghost Rider
Besides being a fan-favorite character, Ghost Rider can help the MCU dive deep into the supernatural. After a possible Marvel Spotlight series or movie that focuses on how the Spirit of Vengeance came to inhabit one of the human Ghost Riders and sets up his lore and motivations, Ghost Rider could meet characters like Blade and Moon Knight to form the MCU's Midnight Suns. With the increase of supernatural characters who have debuted in the MCU in recent years or who have projects on the way, Marvel will need its premiere supernatural team, the Midnight Suns, and a powerful, fan-favorite comic book character like Ghost Rider would fit in perfectly.
