Nicolas Cage Hints That He Could Return as Ghost Rider
Before the advent of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), superhero films tended to be self-contained stories featuring characters that audiences may or may not have already been familiar with.
While entities like the X-Men series highlighted some of the more popular Marvel characters, there was also a smorgasbord of films based on lesser-known properties. For example, in the ten years before the debut of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, superhero films based on The Punisher, Blade, and Ghost Rider were all released.
![Marvel MCU blade](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Screenshot-2023-05-06-at-16-57-03-Blade-Heres-Everything-We-Know-About-the-MCU-Movie-So-Far-1024x486.png)
![Marvel MCU blade](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Screenshot-2023-05-06-at-16-57-03-Blade-Heres-Everything-We-Know-About-the-MCU-Movie-So-Far-1024x486.png)
Photo: Collider
While they would pale in comparison to the unprecedented success of the MCU, all three film series reached various levels of success.
Could We See More Pre-MCU Heroes Enter the Fold?
Following the introduction of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Men into the MCU for Spider-Man: No Way Home and the announcement that Hugh Jackman would reprise his role as Wolverine for Deadpool 3, the idea of seeing the pre-MCU superheroes on screen again suddenly seemed not just possible, but likely.
![Tobey McGuire Andrew Garfield Spider-Men](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Mcguire-Garfield-Spider-Man-e1682016480845-1024x566.jpg)
![Tobey McGuire Andrew Garfield Spider-Men](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Mcguire-Garfield-Spider-Man-e1682016480845-1024x566.jpg)
Two Spider-Men. Photo: Marvel
The Return of Ghost Rider?
Of all the pre-MCU heroes, the character most often speculated to return is Nicholas Cage’s Ghost Rider.
![Nic Cage Gohost Rider](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Nic-Cage-Ghost-Rider-1024x554.jpg)
![Nic Cage Gohost Rider](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Nic-Cage-Ghost-Rider-1024x554.jpg)
Nic Cage as Ghost Rider. Photo: Marvel
Cage originated the role of Johnny Blaze for 2007’s Ghost Rider. The film was derided by critics but proved to be a financial success. While a follow-up film, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, was similarly panned, the series would grow a cult following and continue to make money.
![Nic Cage Ghost Rider](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Screenshot-2023-12-05-at-13-43-17-Ghost-Rider-Director-Says-Nic-Cage-Was-Always-His-Choice-for-Johnny-Blaze-1024x512.png)
![Nic Cage Ghost Rider](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Screenshot-2023-12-05-at-13-43-17-Ghost-Rider-Director-Says-Nic-Cage-Was-Always-His-Choice-for-Johnny-Blaze-1024x512.png)
Photo: Marvel
Ever since the advent of the MCU’s multiversal saga, speculation has run rampant that Cage could reprise his role as Ghost Rider, perhaps in Avengers: Secret Wars.
Nic Cage Chimes In
While Cage has previously dismissed the idea of reprising his Ghost Rider role, in a recent interview with Uproxx, the actor seemed more open to returning.
![Jerry Bruckheimer Nicolas Cage](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/https___hypebeast.com_image_2022_05_jerry-bruckheimer-working-on-new-national-treasure-script-nicolas-cage-001-1024x682.jpg)
![Jerry Bruckheimer Nicolas Cage](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/https___hypebeast.com_image_2022_05_jerry-bruckheimer-working-on-new-national-treasure-script-nicolas-cage-001-1024x682.jpg)
Photo: Jun Sato/Contributor/Getty Images
Although Cage says he will act in fewer movies going forward, he revealed that he would have a tough time saying no to something that he “thought had some pop to it, some spark to it, that maybe could be fun for folks to revisit, like a Face/Off 2 or Ghost Rider.”
![Ghost Rider Nic Cage](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Screenshot-2023-12-05-at-13-42-38-Nicolas-Cage-Reveals-What-It-Would-Take-to-Return-as-Ghost-Rider-1024x554.png)
![Ghost Rider Nic Cage](https://mickeyblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Screenshot-2023-12-05-at-13-42-38-Nicolas-Cage-Reveals-What-It-Would-Take-to-Return-as-Ghost-Rider-1024x554.png)
Photo: Marvel
The fact that Cage offered up Ghost Rider as a role that he would return to would seemingly indicate his genuine interest. With Secret Wars still on the horizon, we may soon see another pre-MCU hero enter the fold.