Mark Steven Johnson to Direct Ghost Rider!!
Tuesday, April 8, 2003 8:23 CDT

Variety reports that Mark Steven Johnson will direct Ghost Rider for Columbia Pictures (Spider-Man), with Nicolas Cage set to star. The Daredevil director will rewrite the script by Shane Salerno.

Movie is an adaptation of the Marvel Comics property that centers on a motorcyclist who inadvertently makes a pact with dark forces and must fight against them in order to protect the woman he loves.

Pic has been greenlit for a start in late '03 or early '04.

Producing are Johnson's partner in Horseshoe Bay Prods., Gary Foster, with Marvel principal Avi Arad and Crystal Sky's Steven Paul.

Supervised by production co-president Matt Tolmach, Col views the action- and FX-heavy "Ghost Rider" as the first in a potential franchise.

Stephen Norrington was originally set to direct, but he left to work on "Tick Tock", which was never made after the events of 9/11. Columbia Pictures picked up the project in turnaround from Dimension Films. In addition to Salerno, David Goyer wrote a draft of the script.

oh

my

god...

















Nicholas Cage

Mark Steven Johnson Talks Ghost Rider Movie
Wednesday, April 9, 2003 7:50 CDT

Empire Online caught up with director Mark Steven Johnson to talk about last night's announcement that he will direct Ghost Rider at Columbia Pictures.

"The Ghost Rider is one of the great icons in comics," he said. "It's that classic Devil and Daniel Webster story. A Faustian bargain that change's Johnny's life."

Nicolas Cage is still slated to take up chain and biker jacket as the man himself, prowling America's highways ready to turn his penance stare upon unwary villains while Johnson goes back to the drawing board to begin a new draft of the screenplay. " The studio wants me to write my own version of Ghost Rider. I want to go back to the source material and use more of the comic. I'm just sitting down to write now. This project has been close to going before. Hopefully it's not cursed! I'm hoping that we could be shooting next winter."

AaronSuperior said:

however.


i must say that i'd rather see him in Ghost Rider, thereby limiting the chances of him getting to play Superman, which he apparently wants/wanted to do very badly (and I mean that in 2 ways).

Isn't it great that they're making movies based on Marvel characters THAT NO LONGER SUCK??? (well...not as bad as Captain America or the first Punisher movie, anyway )

Hopefully this trend will continue

A very early concept scetch for the character.

Very early test of Nic in the makeup. The Hair in the Pic is used to fill in where CGI flames will be. This is NOT the final look, but gives you a bit of an idea where they are going with it.

JediMaster said:

Man, Bonnie Raitt is looking OLD these days.

Anxiety said:

Bonnie Raitt IS Ghost Rider

I know it looks pretty cheesy right now, but I can imagine it after retouches and CGI work. It could work. I'm not a huge fan of Nic Cage, but if he can bring the tortured angst to Johnny Blaze that he did to Leaving Lost Vegas, then he just might be the right choice.

If that is seriously Nic Cage...forget it. We're back to the '70s in terms of a quality Marvel movie. I remain skeptical.

Well then...if no one wants Nic Cage...who should it be then?

Nikster said:

Well, I only meant the makeup in the photo JediMaster posted...I think Nic Cage would actually be able to do a good job as Johnny Blaze.

TheMico said:

But, you must keep in mind that this is just an early test. It probably won't look much like that. Of course, this is assuming that this REALLY is a pic of the makeup test, and not some deranged fan with way too much time on his hands!

JediMaster said:

Probably the latter but I'm cool with the idea of Nic Cage as Ghost Rider quirky as that may be. I always have that picture of him in Raising Arizona in my head.

NovaAngel said:

I agree. I really don't have a problem with Nic Cage playing this part, even though I'm not a huge fan (although, I used to be. he jumped the shark with Con Air for me).