GHOST RIDER 2 Producer gives Updates on Sequel tentatively titled Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
You may not want a Ghost Rider 2, but if you're reading this you obviously want to know what Columbia Pictures has in store for the beloved character in their planned sequel. 2007's Ghost Rider took in a little more than it's $110 million budget in the U.S., but earned over $228 million worldwide -- albeit to critical bashing (26% rating on RottenTomatoes) and geek/fan ranting.
Collider got a chance to speak with producer Mike De Luca, who has over 50 producing credits under his belt, and around 30 different projects in development. Including: Metal Gear Sold, The Social Network and Dracula Year Zero. To sum up, the guy is a Hollywood heavy hitter, and seems like an insanley hard working dude, most recently releasing the amazing drama Brothers.
During the interview De Luca gave several updates on Ghost Rider 2, which has tentatively been given the title Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, with plans to roll cameras this year.
De Luca first and foremost admits that he and the studio realize the first film had "issues" and that they are working really hard to get the sequel right. And by getting it right, they mean, "hey, let's start over."
The film is gonna be a reboot of the franchise -- much like Louis Leterrier’s The Incredible Hulk -- but will still somehow have Nic Cage as Johnny Blaze. Not returning this time around is director Mark Steven Johnson (Daredevil) and Eva Mendes as Roxanne Simpson.
David Goyer has finished his "polish up" on the script he wrote 9 years ago, taking the script's R style violence down to a hard PG-13 -- a la Dark Knight -- and has delivered it to the studio.
The film is going to take place in Europe, and due to the success and De Luca's own experience watching Avatar, will possibly be shot for 3D. I bet the billion dollars Avatar made doesn't hurt either.
A big stick in the tires though is that De Luca is open to David Goyer directing the sequel, if his very busy schedule provides. Goyer wreaked havoc on the Blade franchise when he stepped into the director's chair. And his follow ups like The Unborn do little to grab me. The proven and talented writer that he undoubtedly is, he works best with others keeping him in check.
Other than that, I like that -- much like the producers of X-Men -- they admit past mistakes, and are working to fix them. But it all comes down to the finished product.
Head over to Collider for the full interview.
What do you think of what they have planned for GHOST RIDER 2?