This in from Comic Book Resource in an MTV interview with Ghost Rider 2 Screenwriter David S. Goyer, "Screenwriter David S. Goyer tells MTV News the sequel will not reboot the series. "It's a bit more stripped down and darker. It's definitely changing tone. What 'Casino Royale' was to the Bond movies, hopefully this will be to 'Ghost Rider'," says Goyer. Set some eight years after the first film, the writer says, "It doesn't contradict anything that happened in the first film, but we're pretending that our audience hasn't seen the first film.""
So it seems as though even Goyer knows the first movie basically sucked. Let's just hope he's giving an honest effort here and this film ends up being more like "Casino Royale" instead of "Quantum Of Solace".