Nicolas Cage is Back as Ghost Rider—And It Could Mean More Than You Realize

With the nostalgia overload happening in the MCU right now, thanks to films like Deadpool & Wolverine, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, one important Marvel character has been noticeably absent from the cameos: Nicolas Cage’s Ghost Rider. Thankfully, it seems that’s about to change. If the rumors are indeed true, the 60-year-old’s flaming head might just be blazing back into the Marvel spotlight. Could Cage’s Spirit of Vengeance ride into Avengers: Secret Wars?

Ghost Rider’s Fiery Past

Let’s rewind for a moment. Nicolas Cage first donned the all-black leather biker outfit in Ghost Rider (2007) and then the sequel, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011), two Sony-produced films that failed to set the box office on fire. Nevertheless, they both became cult classics amongst superhero fans, thanks to Cage’s over-the-top, meme-worthy performance. Basically, this was Morbius for a different generation.

Fast forward to today, and the MCU’s multiverse shenanigans (which saw the return of Wesley Snipes’ Blade, Chris Evans’ Johnny Storm, ‎Jennifer Garner’s Elektra, Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man and, of course, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine) seems like the perfect excuse to bring back Cage’s Ghost Rider into the fold. After all, Marvel fans love the sweet, sweet smell of nostalgia.

Deadpool & Wolverine & Ghost Rider?

According to Variety, Ryan Reynolds floated the idea of Cage’s Ghost Rider joining the cameo chaos in Deadpool & Wolverine already. “Yes. Came to a conversation for sure. Yeah, but no,” he said in a classic Reynolds answer.

Still, just the fact that Ghost Rider’s return was even considered shows there’s an appetite for the character to return and play in Marvel’s current sandbox. And with Marvel leaning hard into the multiverse—Robert Downey Jr. is coming back as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday, for crying out loud—there’s actually no reason why Cage’s Ghost Rider couldn’t roll in on a flaming Harley from another dimension, too.

Scooper Daniel RPK believes it’s pretty much already in motion: “If you remember, I was the first to report that Wesley Snipes would reprise his role as Blade in Deadpool & Wolverine. Now, I can confirm that Nic Cage will reprise his role as Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider in an upcoming project. I don’t know which one just yet, but there aren’t many options left.”

When Will Cage Return?

Look, technically, Nic Cage is already returning to Marvel pretty soon—but as Spider-Noir in Sony’s upcoming Spider-Man spinoff series on Prime Video. But that doesn’t mean he can’t be Ghost Rider in the MCU, too. Many actors have played various characters across Sony and Marvel Studio’s cinematic universes recently. Plus, Cage might be keen, too. “I would really need to see what they had in mind before answering that,” Cage responded to the Redditor who asked if he’d return as Ghost Rider if Marvel called. It sounds like a yes, right?

At the moment, the upcoming Fantastic Four and Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027 are probably the best films for Cage’s return. Secret Wars is essentially the MCU’s “everything and the kitchen sink” movie, meaning anyone and everyone could show up in some way or another. Just imagine Ghost Rider trading quips with Deadpool or intimidating Tom Holland’s Spider-Man with his hellfire stare. This feels like a no-brainer.

According to rumours, Marvel has been quietly resetting its universe, and Secret Wars is poised to act as a massive reboot for the franchise. Brad Winderbaum, Marvel’s Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation, has even hinted at introducing Danny Ketch, another popular version of Ghost Rider from the comics. So, imagine bringing in Nicolas Cage’s Johnny Blaze back first to pass the torch to the next Ghost Rider?

Welcome home, St. Nicolas Cage. The MCU could use a little more fire—and you know you’re just the man to bring it.

Tell us, would you like to see Nicolas Cage return as Ghost Rider in the MCU?