We’ve heard on multiple occasions dating back years that Nicolas Cage was either in talks, negotiating, being eyed, or had signed on to reprise his role as Johnny Blaze in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but so far we don’t even know with any great degree of certainty if Ghost Rider is even part of the franchise’s immediate future.
The continuous stream of scuttlebutt has now focused more heavily on Norman Reedus and Keanu Reeves, with Cage being left behind a little as the relentless waves of rumors continue. That being said, the actor was recently asked about his potential interest in becoming the Spirit of Vengeance again, a question that he dodged with all the grace you’d expect from someone with a 40 year-career.
At the SXSW festival, the Academy Award winner was asked again, this time in a very straightforward manner. When ComicBook inquired as to whether he’s had any dealings with Kevin Feige, Cage pointed out that nobody asked him specifically about Ghost Rider the first time around, but rather the superhero genre in general.
“Not yet, no. That hasn’t happened, but what’s interesting is nobody asked me about going back to Ghost Rider. That was a question that came up, and they weren’t asking about Ghost Rider, they were asking ‘What do you think of the Marvel movies?’ And I gave my opinion about it.
Ghost Rider is an amazing character. I mean, he’s a complicated character. It’s kind of like, how do you tell the story of Faust within the context of that universe? Because it’s a very philosophical character. I think it makes him special from other superheroes.”
Much like Ghost Rider’s skull, Cage is on fire at the moment, with The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent adding another winner to his recent filmography. He might be out of the blockbuster business for now, but not many folks turn down Marvel when they come knocking.
