Ghost Rider

This is the theatrical movie poster

Plot Summary: Nicolas Cage plays Johnny Blaze, a motorcycle stuntman turned into the fearsome, skull-faced vigilante, Ghost Rider. As a young man, he gives up his soul to Mephisto (Peter Fonda) in a deal to save his dying father. Consequently forced to part with his true love, Roxanne Simpson (Eva Mendes), Blaze reluctantly fades away from his comfortable life. After years go by, he and Mephisto cross paths once again. It seems that Mephisto’s son and nemesis, Blackheart (Wes Bentley), has sworn to overthrow his father so that he may mold a new and more horrifying hell in his own vision. Mephisto offers to return Blaze’s soul if he will defeat Blackheart. Blaze becomes the hell-spawned Ghost Rider, nourished with Mephisto’s power and ready to exact vigilante justice on the wicked. Suddenly, Roxanne reemerges in Blaze’s life and he is compelled to protect her as well as his new secret.

What to Expect: Nicolas Cage is Ghost Rider, or so he claims. He is such a big fan of the comic books that he called the director himself when he overheard that Johnny Depp was being considered for the role. He’s been attached to the project ever since then. Reportedly, the superstar actor even owns five Ghost Rider motorcycles and sports a Ghost Rider tattoo, which had to be covered up with make-up while filming. Somehow, knowing Cage’s fanatical and spirited outlook on life, I’m not surprised. He’s not embarrassed for a moment about his geeky obsessions, and his well-documented fondness for Elvis exemplifies this. I believe that they have made the correct casting choice with Cage, whose incomparably bold approach has made him one of the best American actors working today. It is true that his style may seem excessive sometimes, but I love seeing him go for broke. He holds nothing back in his performances and brings energy and vigor to even the most generic action films like National Treasure. For those who think he doesn’t have range as an actor, just seek out Leaving Las Vegas, Peggy Sue Got Married, Raising Arizona, Wild at Heart, Face/Off, Bringing Out the Dead, Adaptation, Matchstick Men, and the recent The Weather Man and you will be treated to some of the best and most versatile performances of any actor. I specifically omitted many other memorable titles to save space. In my mind, Cage will relish the opportunity to play the title character and with him in the lead, Ghost Rider immediately goes up a few points.

Directed by:

Mark Steven Johnson

Cast (in credits order)

courtesy of imdb.com 

Trivia for
Ghost Rider

Jon Voight was attached to the project at one point but dropped out.

Nicolas Cage had to have his Ghost Rider tattoo covered with make-up in order to play Johnny Blaze (Ghost Rider).

A large group of on-lookers converged on a bridge in Melbourne to watch scenes being filmed in a nearby location. Over the four days of filming at this location, the crowds grew so large that traffic was often disrupted and public transport operators reported an unusual jump in passenger traffic to the area.

Some scenes were filmed near Flinders St Station, the busiest railway station in Melbourne. Parts of the station were closed for filming, as well as minor alterations to train services being made.

Nicolas Cage's hairpiece required three hours to apply every day.

To create the Ghost Rider's voice, sound designer Don Davis recorded all of Nicolas Cage's lines as the Ghost Rider, and then filtered them through three different kinds of animal growls (played backwards, covering three separate frequencies) and then played them through a mechanical volumizer, before finally giving them a fiery crackle. Director Mark Steven Johnson compared it to "a deep, demonic, mechanical lion's roar" and says that "one thing is for sure, his voice will shake the theatre!"

Johnny Depp' was interested in playing the title role.

Nicolas Cage's computer generated skull was made from a three dimensional x-ray taken of his actual skull.

One of the bridges being used in Melbourne was months away from completion, so the studio paid to have tar, lines, lights etc added to the highway for filming purposes. The work was then ripped up and redone to meet Australian Safety Standards.

The flame tank chopper Johnny Blaze rides is a modern replica of the "Captain America" chopper that Peter Fonda rides in Easy Rider.

The shotgun used in the movie is a Model 1887 Winchester lever-action shotgun.

Nicolas Cage wrote sections of the script.

Was originally planned for a summer 2006 release. However, director Mark Steven Johnson asked for more time to complete more action shots. One of these shots is the scene in which Ghost Rider battles a helicopter.

Taglines for
Ghost Rider

Long ago he made a deal to save someone he loved.

Hell Is About To Be Unleashed

His Curse Will Become His Power

Was everything he sacrificed truly worth?

He's the only one that can walk on both worlds.

Box office / business for
Ghost Rider (2007)

Budget

$120,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend

$52,022,908 (USA) (18 February 2007) (3,619 Screens)
PHP 32,320,414 (Philippines) (18 February 2007) (90 Screens)

Gross

$52,022,908 (USA) (18 February 2007) (sub-total)
PHP 32,320,414 (Philippines) (18 February 2007) (sub-total)

Weekend Gross

$52,022,908 (USA) (18 February 2007) (3,619 Screens)
PHP 32,320,414 (Philippines) (18 February 2007) (90 Screens)

Filming Dates: 14 February 2005 - ??

UK Release Date 2^nd March 2007 

Posters for Ghost Rider (2007)

 Movie Stills For Ghost Rider 2007