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The introduction of Ghost Rider to the Marvel Cinematic Universe has long been overdue. The rights to the character are currently held by Marvel Studios, with studio head Kevin Feige possessing full creative control over every Marvel character.
But will the Marvel Studios president finally establish a new Ghost Rider incarnation for MCU’s Phase 4? Recent rumors suggest they just might.
No Nicholas Cage's Johnny Blaze or Gabriel Luna's Robbie Reyes Ghost Rider for MCU
If reports are to be believed, then the MCU will reportedly introduce Ghost Rider in “Doctor Strange: In the Multiverse of Madness.” Concept art from the Marvel sequel hinted at the character’s introduction being a cameo at best.
Unfortunately, it seems like Marvel Studios has no plans to either bring back Gabriel Luna’s version of Ghost Rider from "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." or reintroduce Nicholas Cage’s version. Instead, it will seemingly be a recast of the Johnny Blaze character.
Currently, there are plenty of options for Marvel Studios to explore Ghost Rider from the comic lore. However, below are the five best ways for the MCU to introduce one of the finest anti-heroes.
#1 MCU’s supernatural aficionado in Doctor Strange 2
It’s already assured that Doctor Strange 2 will explore Marvel's horror and supernatural elements as it dives into the multiverse. There's no better way to guide fans into the horrorverse of MCU than Ghost Rider.
Unlike other traditional characters in Marvel, Ghost Rider got his supernatural abilities from selling his soul to the devil, in this case, Mephisto.
As a human and a demon, the Ghost Rider can serve as a bridge between the normal and supernatural worlds.
With "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," Marvel TV explored Robbie Reyes’s Ghost Rider along similar lines, granting abilities such as opening a new dimension to another world.
Similarly, it’s possible that the character could be introduced as an ambassador of sorts, of the supernatural world and, maybe, the person that might help Doctor Strange and Wanda Maximoff in Doctor Strange 2. Let's hope the rumors are true.
#2 Robbie Reyes' type of iteration
The rumored report states that Robbie Reyes' version of Ghost Rider, played by Gabriel Luna, will not be reprised for the upcoming MCU debut.
Nonetheless, MCU could create its own iteration rather than rely on other source materials from the comics.
Reyes' version of 'the Hell Charger rider' on ABC's "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." was a fan-favorite.
A new incarnation of the rider with a different storyline could turn out to be the gripping arc that fans are waiting for.
#3 Anti-hero spiritual lawman
Ghost Rider’s best qualities remain in his ability to torment the villains and heroes of Marvel.
Aligning the rider’s traits as an anti-hero with his own code and agenda could set the character on a new route, possibly "R-rated" if Disney decides to go in that direction.
Marvel’s The Punisher by Netflix was a successful R-rated series that portrayed Frank Castle as an anti-hero who doesn’t follow the rules of a traditional vigilante.
Similarly, the rider can get his own introduction as a spiritual lawman, out to get justice every time innocent blood is spilled.
#4 Spirit of Vengeance
Readers will remember the pathetic sequel to 2007's Marvel-based film, "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance." The film surprisingly did well at the box office but failed to appeal to critics and fans. Nevertheless, this incarnation of the character is known for avenging the innocent and punishing the guilty.
In the comics, the Spirit of Vengeance is sometimes associated with various Ghost Riders from across the world as an ensemble. Moreover, their origin is a mystery that some believe dates back to B.C.
One particular incarnation from the comics shows Johnny Blaze's version becoming the King of Hell and leading the Spirit of Vengeance. There's no question that Marvel could explore an entire Ghost Rider universe by tapping into this arc.
#5 Carter Slade, aka the Original Ghost Rider
What better way to explore the multiverse than to bring back Carter Slade, the original western anti-hero Ghost Rider. Some may wonder how Marvel Studios can manage to reintroduce a character that’s assumed to have been killed in the events of 2007’s "Ghost Rider." But the multiverse is a tricky topic to probe.
Fans got a glimpse of what lies inside the multiverse when Disney Plus’ "WandaVision" introduced Quicksilver. Surprisingly, it was not the iteration played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson in "Avengers: Age of Ultron." Instead, they reprised Evans Peters’ Pietro Maximoff to play the speedster.
Moreover, Marvel and Sony’s upcoming "Spider-Man: No Way Home" also tapped the multiverse to bring back Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus from 2007’s "Spider-Man." Clearly, there’s no telling which character fans can place their bets on,
Opening Pandora’s box can certainly make room for Carter Slade's original Ghost Rider to make his appearance, and hopefully, the character still has one last ride left in him.
