Though Marvel Studios has yet to confirm that a new Ghost Rider will be introduced, there have been persistent rumors from a number of different sources - not to mention telling hints from Kevin Feige and Brad Winderbaum - that we will see the Spirit of Vengeance make his MCU debut at some point.
The flame-headed hero is expected to be a part of the Midnight Sons movie (whether this project will mark his first appearance remains to be seen), but it sounds like Marvel has bigger plans for the character beyond the planned - though still not officially announced - supernatural team-up film.
Daniel Richtman reports: "No one has been cast as the new Ghost Rider yet, but he is set to appear in a few projects over the next three years, including Midnight Sons."
We haven't heard any solid casting rumors (Ryan Gosling was never actually in talks for the role) for the new Ghost Rider, but Deadpool and Wolverine star Ryan Reynolds recently confirmed that he attempted to bring Nicolas Cage back as his incarnation of the character for the R-rated threequel.
"They were in early drafts. We had versions of that [sequence], but then as it shook out, you're sort of looking...We're trying to make the movie responsibly, as well. It's a big budget. It's the biggest budget of any of the Deadpool movies, but you want to give yourself as much constraint, which really I think facilitates asymmetrical thinking and creativity. If you have too much time or too much money, it usually murders that kind of creativity. So, yeah, you're shrinking things."
"But we did talk to Nic Cage," the actor continued. "We tried to get him, but he was a no-go.... I would've loved him."
We're not sure exactly why Cage declined the offer (possibly a scheduling issue), but a recent rumor claimed that the actor has since agreed to reprise the role.
The most logical project for Cage's Ghost Rider to appear in would obviously be Avengers: Secret Wars, but there have been whispers that the Renfield star could show up as the character in Spider-Man 4 (keep in mind that there have been a lot of Spidey rumors of late, and it's highly unlikely that all of them are accurate).
Could we see Cage's Johnny Blaze pass the mantle on to his successor, perhaps?
Speaking of the still untitled Spider-Man movie, Richtman also reiterates that the project is currently casting for a new love-interest (possibly Black Cat), and we should hear more soon.
Which actor - playing which version of the character - would you like to see join the MCU as Ghost Rider? Let us know in the comments section.