Marvel Studios Is Reportedly Developing a GHOST RIDER Project for the Post-AVENGERS: SECRET WARS MCU
A new rumor suggests that Marvel Studios is lining up a dedicated Ghost Rider project for the next era of the MCU, set to kick off after Avengers: Secret Wars closes out the current saga at the end of 2027.
Talk of Ghost Rider entering the MCU has been floating around for years, but the latest report points to something far more concrete. There’s already been chatter that a new version of the character could debut in Avengers: Doomsday, which wouldn’t be shocking.
Industry insider Daniel Richtman has added fuel to the fire, claiming Marvel’s plans extend well beyond a simple cameo. According to Richtman: “Marvel is doing a Ghost Rider project in the next saga.”
That lines up with previous reports about a potential TV series and long-standing rumors that Ghost Rider could play a major role in the long-rumored Midnight Sons movie.
Richtman also shared some updates about Marvel’s broader post-Secret Wars roadmap. He says the Champions and Strange Academy TV series are still planned for after Secret Wars and could run for multiple seasons.
He’s also hearing that a new Jessica Jones project is in development. On the Avengers side of things, Richtman notes that Gwyneth Paltrow will return as Pepper Potts in both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, something the actress has already hinted at when discussing her involvement in Doomsday.
Marvel Studios has technically had access to Ghost Rider for a while now. The rights reverted after Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance flamed out at the box office back in 2012.
Kevin Feige later allowed Marvel Television to use the Robbie Reyes version of the character in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and for a moment it looked like that incarnation might spin off into its own series. That never happened, largely due to Marvel Studios eventually taking full control of Marvel’s screen output, a move that also led to the Jeph Loeb-led Marvel Television division being shut down by Disney.
Since then, there’s been repeated speculation that Johnny Blaze is the Ghost Rider Marvel really wants to bring into the MCU. At one point, there was even a short-lived rumor tying him to Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
It’s also unclear whether Nicolas Cage could ever return in some multiverse capacity, though he was reportedly considered for Deadpool & Wolverine.
The Ghost Rider mantle has passed through several characters over the decades, but Johnny Blaze remains the definitive version. First appearing in 1972, Blaze is a stunt motorcyclist who makes a deal with the devil and becomes the Ghost Rider in the presence of evil.
His transformation into a flaming-skulled spirit of vengeance, complete with a hellfire chain and blazing motorcycle, pulls heavily from supernatural horror while still fitting squarely into Marvel’s superhero world. Later characters like Danny Ketch and Robbie Reyes would take on the curse, each bringing their own spin to the mythos.
If Marvel Studios really is positioning Ghost Rider as a cornerstone of the next MCU saga, it would be interesting to see how they handle the character. After Avengers: Secret Wars resets the board, the Spirit of Vengeance might finally get the spotlight fans have been waiting for.
