Ghost Rider (Exclusive Series) (Hulu) (Non-MCU Marvel Slate)
- Matt Palmer
- Aug 22, 2022
- 3 min read
Initial release date: February 16, 2007
Studios: Sony-Columbia/Marvel Entertainment/Relativity Media
Tagline: His Curse Will Become His Power
Hell Is About To Be Unleashed
Plot: Years ago, motorcycle stuntman Johnny Blaze sold his soul to save the life of a loved one. Now, he transforms into a fiery, avenging agent of justice at night wherever evil roams. As the only one who can walk in both worlds, Johnny is charged by Mephistopheles himself to destroy Blackheart, a demon that wants to overthrow Mephistopheles and create a worse hell than the one that currently exists.
Cast
Nicolas Cage - Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider
Peter Fonda - Mephistopheles
Brett Cullen - Barton Blaze
Donal Logue - Mack
Wes Bentley - Blackheart
Eva Mandes - Roxanne Simpson
Sam Elliot - Caretaker
Writer/director: Mark Steven Johnson (Daredevil; Jack Frost; When in Rome; Simon Birch)
Rated PG-13 for horror violence and disturbing images (110 min)
The other day I just finished up checking out the 'Blade' trilogy. The first two of those movies are actually really decent and 'Trinity' could have been a lot better. Now, moving on to the 2007 movie 'Ghost Rider' with Nicolas Cage.
The first 'Ghost Rider' movie is actually fairly decent. This 2007 movie delivers some really visually awesome action scenes and lots of fun moments.
Cage does a fine job as the titular character Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider. Sure, there are a few times that Cage over-acts in a few scenes. But, he does that in almost every movie he appears in. The visual effects are really cool, but could have been a little better when creating a few of the characters.
Overall, 'Ghost Rider' is a good, fun flick to check out and not as bad as I thought it would be. Now, it's time to check out its sequel 'Spirit of Vengeance,' which I heard is not that great. So let's wait and see!!
'Ghost Rider' is available on various PVOD streaming rental platforms and on Hulu.
Here are a few interesting tidbits for 2007s 'Ghost Rider':
Nicolas Cage's CG skull was made from a 3D X-ray taken of his actual skull.
Cage is an avid fan of the comic, and lobbied furiously to play the part of Ghost Rider.
The head-on shot showing Johnny Blaze crashing his motorcycle on landing after jumping a long line of trucks is identical to the famous shot of Evel Knievel's crash after a spectacular jump at Caesar's Palace on New Year's Eve 1967.
Nicolas Cage wrote sections of the script.
The Caretaker/Carter Slade Ghost Rider character is a tribute to the original Marvel Comics Ghost Rider, now called "The Phantom Rider" to avoid confusion. However, the character in the comics is a regular human who wears a white costume and rides a white painted horse, both covered with phosphorus for a glowing effect.
Marvel began development for 'Ghost Rider' as early as 1992 and were in discussions with potential producers to sell the rights to.
At one point, producer Avi Arad approached Eric Bana on the possibility of playing Ghost Rider, but opted to cast him in the 2003 movie 'Hulk' instead.
In April 2003, under Columbia Pictures, Johnson took helm on the project, with Cage coming onboard. It was set to begin production in late 2003 or 2004, but it was delayed to October so Cage could film 'The Weather Man.'
'Ghost Rider' was originally scheduled to release on August 4, 2006, but the date was moved three weeks earlier to July 14. Sony changed the release date once more to February 16, 2007 to help relieve the studio's crowded 2006 calender.
It grossed $15.4 million on its opening day, while earning $45.3 million for its opening weekend. Total earnings were $228.7 million worldwide, of which $115.8 million domestic.
A sequel, 'Spirit of Vengeance,' was released in 2012. In 2013, the rights reverted to Marvel Studios, effectively cancelling plans for a potential third movie.
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