The Perfect Ghost Rider Awaits the MCU
With 2021 and the dominance of Spider-Man: No Way Home capping one of the most successful years in the history of the MCU, the continued development of Phase Five and beyond is well underway; with rumors abounding, we tell you why the perfect Ghost Rider awaits the MCU.
Spider-Man: No Way Home, Shang-Chi, Black Widow, and the host of the incredible Disney+ series have all given the MCU a bounce-back year after the events of 2020; a host of brand new debuts and incredible villains the seemingly endless sea of source material shows no signs of lightening up.
Source: Marvel
One such rumored appearance is Walking Dead alumn Norman Reedus potentially being cast as the iconic and beloved Ghost Rider; a character that is long awaiting his return to the world of live-action adaptations.
Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon – The Walking Dead _ Season 9, Episode 15 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC
Nicolas Cage was the originator of the role, bringing the Ghost Rider of Johnny Blaze to screen in 2007’s Ghost Rider, and 2011’s Ghost Rider Spirit of Vengeance.
He was followed by Gabriel Luna portraying the Ghost Rider of Robbie Reyes in the long-running MCU series Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Photo: ABC/CBR
With these two iconic iterations of the character already being played in the live-action format, we believe the perfect Ghost Rider awaits the MCU; that Ghost Rider is Danny Ketch.
Danny Ketch as Ghost Rider for much of the 1990s, and was active in the role for much of the childhoods of current MCU fans; this bringing a certain inherent connection between long-time Marvel readers and the character.
Source: @mikebhassett
By making Norman Reedus Danny Ketch, it also gives the MCU leeway in how they handle the previous portrayals of Robbie Reyes and Johnny Blaze.
It is true that a young Danny Ketch was a massive part of Nicolas Cage’s Ghost Rider Spirit of Vengeance, but with the multiverse arriving in full force, it would allow the MCU to take certain liberties in how they retell those stories.
Source: Sony/ Marvel
Reedus could play an older Danny Ketch- who continues his comic book origin as the younger half-brother of Johnn Blaze- with Nicolas Cage’s Johnn Blaze being available for a return in the future.
With Cage reentering the public sphere as a very respected actor, and Gabriel Luna doing fantastic in his portrayal of Robbie Reyes, the perfect Ghost Rider for the MCU is one that could allow those incredible performers to eventually return.
Source: Marvel
After all, who wouldn’t be on board with a Ghost Rider vs. Ghost Rider vs. Ghost Rider film?
