Is “superhero” really a genre of film? One might argue that a movie featuring costumed crime fighters is less of a genre classification and more of a defining trait. It’s like putting every story about police officers into the “cop movie” umbrella. Most films with superheroes are action films, but superhero horror has become popular lately. Even Marvel has gotten in on the craze, and they should return to it.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first outing in the world of horror was theill-fated Hulu adaptation ofHellstrom. That show was so poorly received that it’s been shunted into the cultural memory forever. Marvel took two years off before returning to the genre, but their second attempt was much more successful.
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Marvel Should do a Ghost Rider Special
Superhero horror generally works one of two ways. Either the hero faces increasingly horrific enemies that provide the scares, or the protagonist’spowers are body horror nightmares. Ghost Rider has the potential to deliver both. Ghost Rider was initially the name of a Western character, but his supernatural descendants are much better known today. Ghost Rider is the spirit of vengeance, a man empowered with the might of a demon to right wrongs on Earth. The two most iconic Ghost Riders are Johnny Blaze and Robbie Reyes. Blaze was a motorcycle stunt performer who bonded with a demon as part of a deal with Satan. Reyes was a Mexican-American teen killed by thugs and resurrected by a possessed muscle car. Nicolas Cage portrayed Johnny Blaze in two mildly successful films a decade ago. Reyes is the only official MCU Ghost Rider, as he appeared inAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,portrayed by Gabriel Luna.
Hulu passed on the idea of a Ghost Rider solo series for Luna’s Reyes, and fans have been talking about a Johnny Blaze feature for years.The Walking Deadstar Norman Reedushas been the fan choice for the role since the MCU became popular. Marvel got the film rights to Ghost Rider from Sony in 2013, but they’ve never announced plans to give the character a new cinematic debut. Reyes has been absent from the MCU sinceAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.concluded. The show technically introduced Johnny Blaze, though it never gave the character’s name. Fans are excited about Ghost Rider as a character. He’s a window to the demonic sector of Marvel Comics, which hasn’t been explored much on the big screen. In addition, he may be the most well-established horror character in Marvel’s catalog.
Whichever Ghost Rider Marvel brings to the screen, his story will bring him into contact with demons. Ghost Rider operates on a level above most Marvel heroes. His enemies aren’t usually street toughs or criminals. He fights Lucifer, angels, and the Antichrist. Leaning into the nightmarishtransformation a Ghost Riderhas to go through provides an element of body horror. Demons open the door to possession, violence, and endless jump scares. It’s likely to be an action/horror project, but that won’t be dissimilar from its predecessor.
Werewolf By NightProved Marvel Can Do Horror
Marvel used to put out a lot of horror comics. Universal monsters were once as popular as superheroes, if not more so. The company still has a catalog of vampires, zombies, spirits, and beasts at its disposal, but they aren’t often used in the same way.Most monsters are supervillainsor unexpected heroes, blending in easily with their costumed counterparts.Werewolf By Nightis the first time the MCU used monsters in the old-fashioned horror context that they were created for.
Werewolf By Nightdepictsa group of skilled monster hunters being set loose in the lavish garden of a massive mansion to track down a monster. The winner will be gifted a powerful magic gem called the Bloodstone and the position of leadership over the other hunters. Jack Russel, one of the competitors, schemes to rescue the monster and buy them both freedom. Russel, it turns out, is a monster himself. It’s a violent, claustrophobic horror film that fits much better intothe old Universal Monstermovies than it does into the MCU. It’s the franchise’s first Halloween special, but it shouldn’t be its last.
Ghost Rider is one of many Marvel characters who have been waiting in the wings for their big debut. The concept of a Halloween special creates the perfect avenue forcharacters like Ghost Riderto shine. The franchise can bring in endless monsters, demons, and scary stories through the vector of a single popular character. Build a roster through faces like the Werewolf, Man-Thing, and Ghost Rider, and in four or five Halloweens, fans will be enjoying the spooky Avengers. Ghost Rider is the perfect horror hero for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and fans have known his name for years now.
