Ghost Rider (film)

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For other uses, see Ghost Rider (disambiguation).

Theatrical poster
Directed by Mark Steven Johnson
Produced by Avi Arad
Steven Paul
Gary Foster
Written by Mark Steven Johnson
Starring Nicolas Cage
Eva Mendes
Wes Bentley
Sam Elliott
Peter Fonda
Donal Logue
Music by Christopher Young
Cinematography Russell Boyd
John Wheeler
Editing by Richard Francis-Bruce
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release date(s) February 15, 2007
February 16, 2007
Flag of South Korea April 12, 2007
Running time 114 minutes
Country Flag of United States United States
Language English
Budget $110 million
Official website
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Ghost Rider is a superhero film based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Ghost Rider. The film is directed by Mark Steven Johnson and stars Nicolas Cage as Ghost Rider. The film was released in Egypt on February 14, 2007 and in Australia, Serbia, Puerto Rico, Malaysia and Lebanon on February 15, 2007 and on February 16, 2007 in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Turkey.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Opening voiceover: In the days of the American Old West, Mephistopheles (Satan) had a bounty hunter, Ghost Rider, who was sent to retrieve a contract for a thousand souls in the town of San Venganza. He realised that giving the contract to Mephistopheles, would be the end of everything so he outran the devil himself and hid himself and the contract.

A century and a half later, a young stunt motorcycle rider Johnny Blaze discovers his father is dying of lung cancer. Mephistopheles approaches him with a promise to rid his father of his disease once and for all. Johnny inadvertently signs the contract. The next morning his father's cancer is gone and he says that he is as healthy as a horse. His father goes off to perform a stunt, during which he is killed, and Mephistopheles informs Johnny that he now owns his soul. Johnny accuses Mephistopheles regarding his father's death, but Mephisto says that nothing could come between him and Johnny. Johnny is then forced to abandon his girlfriend, Roxanne Simpson.

Years later, Johnny has become a well-known stunt motorcycle rider. He meets Roxanne, now a journalist covering his career, during a stunt, again, and they renew their relationship. During the stunt, Johnny jumps over a number of rigs and helicopters but hits the front wheel awkwardly while landing causing him to be tossed out of his motorcycle and break his helmet by hitting the front wheel and skidding a short range. Mack and other assistants run to his side to check up on him, as soon as they take off his mask he asks if his bike is alright and stands up fine. Some time later Johnny is sitting with Mack talking about the accident and how he must have a guardian angel protecting him. Johnny looks out a window and says that it could be something else.

Blackheart, son of Mephistopheles, comes to Earth, and calls forth three other fallen angels (Wallow, Grissel and Abigor). Blackheart wants to find the missing San Venganza contract so that he may create Hell on Earth. Mephistopheles goes to Johnny and forces him to become Ghost Rider, promising to free his soul if he hunts and kills Blackheart and the three fallen angels, turning Johnny into his personal bounty hunter. While Mephisto is telling Johnny to hunt Blackheart and kill him, Blackheart has gone to an old train station with the three fallen angels looking for an old graveyard. Johnny is driven straight to the station, on his 'first ride', where he destroys much of the city and blows a policeman away who is monitering speeders. His enchanted chopper goes towards Blackheart and the fallen angels, where a fight ensues. Johnny defeats Grissel using his chains, and as the demon screams for help, the others disappear. Ghost Rider is then returning to town when he hears a woman being mugged. He saves the woman from a mugger by using the Penance Stare, a power in which all the wrong done by the person it's being used on flashes before their eyes, burning their soul in the process. The mugger's soul is burned by all his sins and he drops dead.

The next day Johnny wakes up in a cemetery chapel where a man called the Caretaker seems to know all about the Ghost Rider. In the city, the police and the journalists are trying to find out what caused all the damage. Coincidentally, Roxanne interviews the woman Johnny saved from the mugger the night before. The woman describes the Rider, but is thought to be crazy from both Roxanne and her cameraman. Johnny then returns to the Caretaker, who tells him about Johnny's predecessor, Carter Slade, a Texas Ranger, a man of honour who got greedy and wound up facing the gallows. He then made a deal with Mephistopheles to secure his freedom, but in return he ended up a Ghost Rider. The Caretaker then warns Johnny to stay away from those who Blackheart can use against him.

When he arrives home, Johnny finds Roxanne. He says that they can't be together because he's become the Devil's bounty hunter. She leaves in anger not believing him. Just as Roxanne leaves, the police arrive and arrest Johnny for his connection to all the damage done to the city and the death of a guard at the train station. He is put in prison with some other prisoners, who mock Johnny and start to beat him, until he takes out all of them (except one non-violent fellow prisoner) by becoming the Ghost Rider and then escaping the jail. That night Roxanne recognizes Johnny, while he (as the Ghost Rider) is defeating the second fallen angel, Abigor. Observing, Blackheart realizes that Roxanne is Johnny's weakness when the Ghost Rider approaches her and his fire turns blue.

Roxanne goes to Johnny's apartment where she finds Mack, they talk and she says that she loves Johnny. Mack tells her Johnny has been reading some weird stuff and shows her the books which she picks up and starts reading. Johnny is with the Caretaker who tells Johnny that Blackheart will go after the ones closest to his heart. Johnny realises that Roxanne is in danger and leaves, finding her cameraman and asking him for her location. Blackheart finds Roxanne at Johnny's apartment. He kills Johnny's friend, Mack, and stuns her. Johnny arrives and is attacked by Blackheart, he transforms into the Rider, and attempts to use the Penance Stare on Blackheart, but Blackheart laughs and says that the Caretaker forgot to mention "he has no soul to burn". Blackheart then threatens to kill Roxanne if Johnny does not bring him the contract at San Venganzas. Johnny goes back to the Caretaker to get the contract, who begrudgingly does so.

He tells Johnny that San Venganzas is "Hell on Earth" and tells him to think before he does something. Johnny tells him to just trust him. The Caretaker then says that he will go with him. He whistles and out of the fog a horse arrives, and as he climbs on top he becomes a Ghost Rider, thus revealing that he is Carter Slade. Slade then offers to show him the way to San Venganza. Some distance from the town, they both stop and Slade gives Johnny his shotgun (a sawn-off Winchester Model 1887 shotgun) and leaves, he then looks back and advises Johnny to keep to the shadows. Johnny then meets and destroys the third and last fallen angel, Wallow, in a swamp. Blackheart obtains the contract, but Blaze demands Roxanne and his soul. A fight ensues. Blackheart uses the contract of San Venganza to absorb the 1,000 souls. The new, more powerful Blackheart now calls himself Legion. The fight continues, Johnny transforming his shotgun into a Ghost Rider style weapon and shoots Blackheart, causing him to explode, but the souls regenerate him. Johnny then decides to use the Penance Stare, realizing that Blackheart now has "1,000 souls to burn". Blackheart screams as he endures the pain of the attack. Ghost Rider then tosses Blackheart's dead body aside, and reverts to his normal self.

Mephistopheles appears and gives him back his soul, saying that he'll take back the curse of the Ghost Rider, but Johnny refuses, saying that he will use the curse against Mephistopheles. Realizing he has been tricked and robbed of Johnny's soul and the power, Mephistopheles vows to make Johnny pay, but Johnny in response recites a favorite saying: "You can't live in fear." This angers Mephistopheles, and he disappears into a fiery cloud of smoke. Blackheart's body disappears as well. Johnny and Roxanne share a final kiss at the tree where Johnny carved, "J&R FOREVER," at the beginning of the film. Johnny then rides away on his motorcycle, transforming into Ghost Rider just before the credits roll.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Production

Ghost Rider teaser poster
Ghost Rider teaser poster

In May 2000 at the Cannes Film Festival, Marvel Studios announced an agreement with Crystal Sky Entertainment to film Ghost Rider with actor Jon Voight attached as a producer. Production was scheduled to start in early 2001 with a budget of $75 million, with actor Johnny Depp expressing interest in the lead role.[1] The following August, Dimension Films joined Crystal Sky to co-finance the film, which would be written by David S. Goyer and directed by Stephen Norrington.[2] In June 2001, actor Nicolas Cage entered talks to be cast into the lead role for Ghost Rider,[3] and by July, had closed a deal with the studio. According to producer Steven Paul, Cage had found out about Depp being a possibility for the role and contacted the director to express his own interest, being an avid Ghost Rider fan.[4]

In the following August, Norrington abandoned the project due to a scheduling conflict, leaving to film the action flick Tick Tock starring Jennifer Lopez.[5] Cage eventually left the project as well. By May 2002, the studio Columbia Pictures sought to acquire rights to the film in turnaround from Dimension Films following the success of Spider-Man.[6] In April 2003, under Columbia Pictures, director Mark Steven Johnson took over the helm for Ghost Rider with Cage returning for the lead role. Both had been drawn by a script written by screenwriter Shane Salerno. Johnson, rewriting Salerno's script, was set to begin production of Ghost Rider in late 2003 or early 2004.[7] With production delayed into October 2003, Cage took a temporary leave of absence to film The Weather Man. Ghost Rider production was slated to tentatively begin in May or June of 2004.[8]

Ghost Rider had again been delayed to begin in late 2004, but the lack of a workable script continued to delay production.[9] In January 2005, actor Wes Bentley was cast as the villain Blackheart, having been introduced to Johnson by Colin Farrell, who had worked with the director in Daredevil.[10] Actress Eva Mendes was also cast opposite Cage as the Ghost Rider's girlfriend.[11] On February 14, 2005, Ghost Rider commenced filming in Australia at the Melbourne Docklands film studios.[12] Then in March 2005, actor Peter Fonda was cast as the villain Mephistopheles.[13] Johnson originally planned to film before an audience at the Telstra Dome, but instead opted to create a crowd using computer-generated imagery.[14] The director also chose to film in the motorcycle district of Melbourne.[15] By June 2005, principal photography had been completed for Ghost Rider,[16] which was set for a summer 2006 release.[17] In December 2005, musical composer Christopher Young was announced to score Ghost Rider. In addition, Spiderbait, a band that Johnson befriended during filming in Australia,[18] performed a cover of "Ghost Riders in the Sky" for the end credits.[citation needed] In April 2006, the cast and crew performed last-minute reshoots in Vancouver.[19] Ghost Rider was originally scheduled to release on August 4, 2006,[20] but the date was moved three weeks earlier to July 14, 2006.[21] Sony changed the film's release date once more to February 16, 2007 to help relieve the studio's crowded 2006 calendar.[22]

[edit] Character portrayal

Nicolas Cage molded his "hard drinking and smoking bad ass" character Johnny Blaze to have more depth. "I'm playing him more as someone who... made this deal and he's trying to avoid confronting it, anything he can do to keep it away from him." Cage also explained that Blaze's stunt riding was a form of escape and a way to keep him connected to his deceased father, who taught him to ride. Cage rode a Buell motorcycle for Blaze's stunt cycle, and a heavily customized hardtail chopper named Grace which transforms into the "Hell Cycle", along with the character.[23] The Hell Cycle's wheels, made of pure flames in the comics, were changed to be solid tires covered in flames in order to give the motorcycle more weight onscreen.[24]

To express emotion, Ghost Rider's skull flames were designed to change color, such as being toned down and blue to display any emotion besides rage.[24] The film's visual effects supervisor, Kevin Mack, and his crack team at Sony Imageworks handled the difficult task of creating computer-generated fire on a shot-by-shot basis.[18] Ghost Rider's voice was manipulated by sound designer Dane Davis, who won an Academy Award for Sound Editing for The Matrix. Davis filtered Cage's line readings through three different kinds of animal growls that were played backwards and covered separate frequencies. Davis then amplified the dialogue through a mechanical volumizer. Director Johnson described the sound as a "deep, demonic, mechanical lion's roar".[25]

[edit] Promotion

In May 2005, Sony Pictures launched the official website for Ghost Rider.[26]

In the following July, the studio presented a Ghost Rider panel at Comic-Con International and screened a teaser for the audience.[24] The teaser, which did not have finalized footage of the film, eventually leaked online.[27] In the same month, Majesco Entertainment Company announced its deal with Marvel to acquire worldwide rights to produce the video game Ghost Rider for the consoles PS2, PSP, and Game Boy Advance.[28]

In December 2005, the studio presented a first glimpse of Ghost Rider in a 10-second footage piece on the official site.[29]

In April 2006, Sideshow Collectibles announced the sale of a Ghost Rider maquette based on the concept art of the film.[30]

The following May, domestic and international teaser trailers for Ghost Rider were launched at Apple.[31]

[edit] Reception

Ghost Rider received mainly negative reviews from film critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, Ghost Rider has a 27% overall approval out of 108 reviews from critics.[32]

Ghost Rider was commercially released in the United States on February 16, 2007. The film grossed $15,420,123 on its opening day.[33] The film earned $45,388,836 for the opening weekend, becoming the biggest opening of 2007 until the debut of 300 in March. The film earned $52,022,908 over the four-day President's Day weekend, with a per-theater average of $14,374 in 3,619 theaters.[34] As of April 1, 2007 the film has earned $114,231,820 domestically, and a worldwide total of $214,411,525 .[35]

[edit] Sequel

On February 9, 2007, Marvel producer Avi Arad announced the development of Ghost Rider 2 at a press event.[36]


It has also been announced that Ghost Rider: Extended Edition will be released on DVD.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Michael Sangiacomo. "More Marvel heroes to join X-Men on film over next few years", The Star-Ledger, 2000-05-25. Retrieved on December 22, 2006.
  2. ^ Michael Fleming. "'Ghost' adds a Dimension", Variety, 2000-08-30. Retrieved on December 22, 2006.
  3. ^ "Cage considers 'Ghost Rider' role", Erie Times-News, 2001-06-28. Retrieved on December 22, 2006.
  4. ^ Julia Brinksneader. "Another 'ER' casualty", The Columbus Dispatch, 2001-07-31. Retrieved on December 22, 2006.
  5. ^ James Berkshire. "Cage GHOST RIDER Burning Out?", Cinescape, 2001-08-20. Retrieved on December 22, 2006.
  6. ^ "`Ghost Rider' could follow Spidey film", Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 2002-05-24. Retrieved on December 22, 2006.
  7. ^ Dana Harris. "Johnson sees 'Ghost'", Variety, 2003-04-08. Retrieved on December 22, 2006.
  8. ^ "When May Ghost Rider Start Shooting?", SuperHeroHype.com, 2003-10-19. Retrieved on December 22, 2006.
  9. ^ Angela Dawson. "Nicolas Cage likes to hunt for treasure", The Cincinnati Post, 2004-11-18. Retrieved on December 22, 2006.
  10. ^ Michael Fleming, Nicole Laporte. "Bentley to haunt 'Ghost'", Variety, 2005-01-20. Retrieved on December 22, 2006.
  11. ^ Pamela McClintock. "Marvel to prime pupils", Variety, 2005-03-01. Retrieved on December 22, 2006.
  12. ^ "More than a name", The Age, 2005-02-14. Retrieved on January 29, 2007.
  13. ^ Colin Covert. "The bounce - who's up - who's down", Star Tribune, 2005-03-11. Retrieved on December 22, 2006.
  14. ^ Clint Morris. "Ghost Rider skips Dome", Moviehole.net, 2005-03-03. Retrieved on January 29, 2007.
  15. ^ Karl Quinn. "Foreign film upturn a tale of two cities", The Age, 2005-03-06. Retrieved on January 29, 2007.
  16. ^ "'Time Share' comedy", Long Beach Press-Telegram, 2005-06-13.
  17. ^ Mike Musgrove. "Marvel, DC Duel At the Box Office", The Washington Post, 2005-06-25. Retrieved on December 22, 2006.
  18. ^ a b Mark Steven Johnson. "Ask MSJ Part 3", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-12-15. Retrieved on January 29, 2007.
  19. ^ "Ghost Rider Reshoots in Vancouver", SuperHeroHype.com, 2006-04-13. Retrieved on January 29, 2007.
  20. ^ "Marvel Studios' Avi Arad on Upcoming Projects", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-05-18. Retrieved on January 29, 2007.
  21. ^ "Ghost Rider Moved Up to July", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-09-05. Retrieved on January 29, 2007.
  22. ^ Laporte, Nicole. "Sony cycles Cage starrer to 2007", Variety, 2005-12-14. Retrieved on July 30, 2006.
  23. ^ Andrew Weil. "SET VISIT: Nicolas Cage on Ghost Rider!", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-06-16. Retrieved on January 29, 2007.
  24. ^ a b c Scott Chitwood. "The Ghost Rider Panel at Comic-Con", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-07-17. Retrieved on January 29, 2007.
  25. ^ "Mark Steven Johnson on Ghost Rider!", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-08-07. Retrieved on January 29, 2007.
  26. ^ Sony Pictures. "Ghost Rider Site Online", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-05-19. Retrieved on January 29, 2007.
  27. ^ Sony Pictures. "Sony Statement on the Ghost Rider Footage", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-07-29. Retrieved on January 29, 2007.
  28. ^ Majesco Entertainment Company. "Majesco Creating Ghost Rider Movie Game", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-07-13. Retrieved on January 29, 2007.
  29. ^ Columbia Pictures. "The Ghost Rider Revealed!", SuperHeroHype.com, 2005-12-20. Retrieved on January 29, 2007.
  30. ^ Sideshow Collectibles. "Exclusive Look at Sideshow's Ghost Rider Maquette!", SuperHeroHype.com, 2006-04-27. Retrieved on January 29, 2007.
  31. ^ Sony Pictures. "Ghost Rider Teaser Trailers Hit!", SuperHeroHype.com, 2006-05-23. Retrieved on January 29, 2007.
  32. ^ Ghost Rider. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved on March 30, 2007.
  33. ^ "Ghost Rider (2007) - Daily Box Office", Box Office Mojo, 2007-03-13. Retrieved on March 13, 2007.
  34. ^ "Ghost Rider (2007) - Weekend Box Office", Box Office Mojo, 2007-03-13. Retrieved on March 13, 2007.
  35. ^ "Ghost Rider (2007)", Box Office Mojo, 2007-03-28. Retrieved on March 28, 2007.
  36. ^ Peter Sciretta. "Ghost Rider 2 Announced", SlashFilm.com, 2007-02-10. Retrieved on February 10, 2007.

[edit] External links

Official sites
Reception
Miscellaneous
 v • d • e Marvel Comics films
Live action Single films

Howard the Duck (1986) • The Punisher (1989) • Captain America (1991) • The Fantastic Four (1994) • Ghost Rider (2007) • Iron Man (2008) • Luke Cage (TBA) • Namor (TBA) • Ant-Man (TBA)
Franchises

Blade: Blade (1998) • Blade II (2002) • Blade: Trinity (2004)
Daredevil: Daredevil (2003) • Elektra (2005)
Fantastic Four: Fantastic Four (2005) • Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)
The Hulk: Hulk (2003) The Incredible Hulk (2008)
The Punisher: The Punisher (2004) • The Punisher 2 (TBA)
Spider-Man: Spider-Man (2002) • Spider-Man 2 (2004) • Spider-Man 3 (2007)
X-Men: X-Men (2000) • X2: X-Men United (2003) • X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) • Wolverine (TBA) • Magneto (TBA)
Animated Single films

The Invincible Iron Man (2007) • Doctor Strange (2007) • Teen Avengers (TBA)
Franchises

The Ultimates: Ultimate Avengers (2006) • Ultimate Avengers 2 (2006)
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