14 DAY TRIAL // When “Ghost Rider” was released in 2007, it was supposed to establish main star Nicolas Cage as a bona fide action star. What it did, instead, according to critics, was to show the public that, when it came to bad choices, he could make huge blunders, since the film had, in their opinion, neither substance, nor appeal. With all this, “Ghost Rider 2” is on the way, BloodyDisgusting is reporting.
According to the site, which deals primarily with news and gossip on movies, the sequel has gotten the stamp of approval from Columbia Pictures. Not only that, but Nicolas Cage will return to the big screen as Johnny Blaze, the soulless and unstoppable vigilante, as the contract has already been inked and signed. Word in the industry also has it that the movie studio is now looking for able writers to pen a script that would, hopefully, fare better with critics and at the box-office.
The 2007 “Ghost Rider,” although much hyped prior to release, failed to get critics and fans crowding theaters. With a whopping budget of $110 million, most of which went in special effects and post-production, it only managed to cash $228 million worldwide, half of which, it is known, went to the exhibitor. When one draws the line, the movie barely managed to cover its own expenses, not to mention make a profit as expected.
In 2007, but also now, fans and critics put most of the blame on director Mark Steven Johnson (who also wrote the screenplay), who, they hope, will be replaced by someone with more vision this time around. Peter Sciretta, writing for SlashFilm, for instance, says the following about the sequel, “I used to read ‘Ghost Rider’ comic books when I was younger, and I really believe that the comic property could be turned into a pretty cool movie. Let’s just hope that Mark Steven Johnson isn’t sitting in the director’s chair this time around. Sony needs to learn from Marvel’s recent wins and hire a director who is a few levels higher than the material.” As it happens, he speaks for many.
Keep an eye on this space for more details, as they’re bound to emerge soon.