Summary

Now is the stark time for Marvel to fulfill Norman Reedus ' dream role in theMCU . considerably known for his role as Daryl inThe walk Deadand Murphy MacManus in the craze classicTheBoondock Saints , Norman Reedus is a somewhat unostentatious but widely recognizable player with a fervent fanbase . This has extend to pot of devotee casts within pop franchises , and the MCU is no elision , with one dubitable character in particular stick out out as a particularly democratic pick .

The MCU ’s spillage slateis ready to introduce a mess offan - favored Marvel characters to the MCUincluding the Fantastic Four and Blade , while more obscure characters likeWonder Man are poised to make their live - action debutsdown the job . Yet of the many Marvel heroes with live - action experience that have been adapted ( and often improved ) by the MCU , there are still some interruption . Among the most glaring of these is Johnny Blaze ’s Ghost Rider , whose springy - action repute is in pauperism of repurchase .

Avengers : Secret Wars can use the multiverse to boast more characters than Endgame , with several fan - favorite Marvel character deserving a restitution .

Ioan Gruffudd’s Reed Richards, Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man and Michael Fassbender’s Magneto

Norman Reedus Has Expressed Interest In Ghost Rider

Norman Reedus has already state that he would be willing to act Ghost Riderin a 2016 interview withUproxx . When interview about taking the role , Reedus responded enthusiastically :

“ Hell yeah … It would be a blast . Do I get a skull face that ’s on fervor and all that stuff ? atomic number 9 * * * yeah . I ’m down . ”

The question was asked as rumor swirl about apossible Ghost Rider rebooteven back in 2016 . answer it to say that a lot of time has passed since then , but the appetite for Ghost Rider ’s MCU entry has scarcely waned . In fact , it is a character that an increasing number of Hollywood A - middle buster are gun for , including Ryan Gosling and Keanu Reeves .

Spider-Man in the MCU and Jean Grey in Marvel Comics

Reedus has also double over down on his desire to impersonate Johnny Blaze , stating in a 2021 interview withcomicbook.com :

" I want to toy Ghost Rider … I want a fire skull . I need my face to sour into a fire skull and whip a chain of mountains around . That would be peachy . "

give fans are so enthusiastic aboutGhost passenger bring together the MCU , it stands to reason that Marvel is at least debate bringing the persona into the fold soon , and Reedus ' love for portraying the role does not seem to be pass down . With that in judgement , this should be one of the juncture in whichMCU buff castsshould amount to realization , as Norman Reedus is a staring selection for Ghost Rider .

Gorr at the Altar of Eternity in Thor Love and Thunder

Why Norman Reedus Is Perfect For Ghost Rider

Marvel ’s Johnny Blaze is already reminiscent of Norman Reedus ' most famous office : the substantial , dumb type with an kinship for motorcycles . In fact , the latter is a trope that Reedus has convey over to his late role as Funny Sonny in 2023’sThe Bikeriders , which stands to reason give Reedus ' personal enthusiasm for motorbikes and biker culture . On his past work alone , it is easy to see Reedus flying in the face of Nick Cage ’s over - the - top rendition with a more comic - accurate depiction of Blazeas a down - and - out and retiring hero sandwich with a fiery alter - self-importance .

His time as the porter , Sam , in Hideo Kojima ’s sprawling " courier simulator " video game , Death Stranding , indicate that Reedus is more than adequate to of drive home some of his hunky-dory work with MoCap suits and green screens .

Reedus also has experience working with detailed motion capture - a trait he shares with fellow Ghost Rider aspirant , Keanu Reeves . His time as the door guard , Sam , in Hideo Kojima ’s sprawling " messenger simulator " video game , Death Stranding , shows that Reedus is more than capable of delivering some of his okay piece of work with MoCap suit and green CRT screen . give Reedus has specifically name his head turning into a flaming skull both multiplication he ’s expressed his interest in the purpose of Blaze , this surely seems like a part of the job he would conquer with sapidity .

Norman Reedus looking serious in front of Mephisto on the phone in marvel comics

Custom image by Ollie Bradley

It’s Time For The MCU To Expand Its Paranormal Side After Blade

In a positive preindication for the Ghost Rider ’s MCU genesis , the extrasensory side of the MCUappears to be ramping up . The launching of characters like Man - Thing inWerewolf by NightandBlade in his coming MCU moviebodes well , in peculiar , for anadaptation of Marvel ’s Midnight Sons . This superhero team comprises a revolving door of Marvel ’s supernatural hero , though at least one iteration of the team ( featured inDoctor Strange : eternal damnation ) is almost exclusively draw up of character reference that have already been bring in in or are confirm to be joining the MCU - with one illustrious elision .

MCU Characters Who Have Been In The Midnight Sons

Blade

MCU Franchise Poster

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.

Johnny Blaze

Doctor Strange

Wong

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Elsa Bloodstone

Iron Fist

Man - Thing

Werewolf by Night

Moon Knight

Scarlet Witch

Various iterations of Ghost Rider are loyalist of the Midnight Sons alongside Blade . With Blade confirmed to be unite the MCU in 2025 , Johnny Blaze feels like the next logical step for the MCU to aid pad out its paranormal roster and trace up an outing for one of its most compelling and original team so far . With X - Men side by side characters like Magik and Nico Minoru also now under Marvel ’s purview , the squad looks peculiarly cohesive if Johnny Blaze is en itinerary .

A notable absentee of any Midnight Sons batting order would be Morbius , whom Sony still owns the dispersion rights for .

moreover , one of the most of import characters in Johnny Blaze ’s story is reported to be join the cast ofIronheartas portrayed by Sacha Baron Cohen . Mephisto is the entity responsible for bind Johnny Blaze with the Spirit of Vengeance ( his jurist - seeking , flame - skulled alter - ego ) , and his reported arriver is yet another positively charged house that Ghost Rider ’s story will soon be adapted within the MCU . With all that in brain , all that continue is whether the MCU should get the ball roll up with Blaze sooner rather than later .

Why The MCU Has Sidelined Ghost Rider For So Long

St. Nicholas Cage’sGhost RiderandGhost Rider : Spirit of Vengeancecame out in 2007 and 2011 , severally . With the second being released in the same class asThorandCaptain America : The First Avenger , it is reasonable to adopt that Marvel needed to keep some length betweenNic Cage ’s divisive rendition of Johnny Blazeand the MCU ’s rendering . With over a 10 between them now , however , it ’s dependable to say that the MCU can introduce its version of Blaze without it being associated with Cage or perplexing casual viewer .

The film rights for Ghost Rider reverted to Marvel from Sony in 2013 .

What is perplexing is whether the Robbie Reyes rendition of the persona sport in Marvel’sAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.is MCU canyon . Without official ratification in either direction from Marvel , the canonicity ofAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.is debatable , with the rule opinion dub it " soft canyon " due to the fact it was so closely link to the mainline stories and characters of the MCU . Since the net installment ventilate in August 2020 , the MCU has been coy about integrating any of the fictional character introduced in this serial publication into theofficial MCU timeline .

This has hamper a Ghost Rider unveiling in the mainline MCU as he has tentatively already been operating within this serial ; though it does not forbid Johnny Blaze ’s version of the character from debuting . Additionally , while Marvel has debuted a smattering of supernatural hero in shows , there has only been one movie franchise that leans towards the paranormal - namely , Doctor Strange . WithBladeset to pressurise the paranormal side of theMCU , the time is now right-hand for the franchise to finally bring the beloved Spirit of Vengeance into the fold .

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia system superhero enfranchisement that began in 2008 with Paramount ’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grow in popularity , with Disney finally buy out Marvel Entertainment in 2009 . The MCU consists of heaps of picture and television shows , most notably Avengers : Endgame , WandaVision , and Loki .

approaching MCU Movies

Release Date

Deadpool & Wolverine

July 26 , 2024

Captain America : Brave New World

February 14 , 2025

Thunderbolts *

May 5 , 2025

The Fantastic Four

July 25 , 2025

November 7 , 2025

avenger 5

May 1 , 2026

avenger : unavowed Wars

May 7 , 2027

seed : Uproxx / Comicbook.com