Despite being played by gonzo thespian Nicolas Cage in two mainstream movies, Ghost Rider never had the best luck on the big screen. But after a few years in the can and a resurgence thanks to a stint on the show AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.LD. the powers that be have deemed him ready to lead his own project again, this time in the form of a live-action series at Hulu. The new show, “Marvel’s Ghost Rider,” will be joined by another show “Marvel’s Helstrom” as Hulu plans to unleash the Spirits of Vengeance on audiences in 2020.
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Marvel broke the news this morning that Marvel Television will expand their partnership with Hulu, which distributes the show THE RUNAWAYS on its service. MARVEL’S GHOST RIDER will center on Robbie Reyes, a man who lives on the Texas/Mexico border and has become spiritually tethered to a demon, and when he unleashes the Rider exacts all manner of hellfire justice. Gabriel Luna played the character in the fourth season of AGENTS, and word is he will return here.
The show will be executive produced by Ingrid Escajeda (who will also serve as showrunner) Paul Zbyszewski and Marvel Television’s Jeph Loeb. Escajeda (JUSTIFIED, EMPIRE) issued a statement expressing how much she loves the character, and how his story will allow her to “scare the $&!# out of people!”
“I couldn’t be more excited and honored to be handed the reins to a Marvel character as beloved as GHOST RIDER. This story hits every note for me—my love for grounded yet conflicted characters and my desire to scare the $&!# out of people! It’s important to me to find a take that thrills existing fans as well as wider audiences and I believe we’ve done just that.”
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MARVEL’S HELSTROM tackles the lesser known property, centering on siblings Daimon and Ava Helstrom, the son and daughter of a powerful serial killer. The characters “have a complicated dynamic as they track down the worst of humanity—each with their attitude and skills.” The series will be executive produce by GHOST RIDER’s Zbyszewski (who will also be showrunner) and Loeb, the former issuing a statement.
“As a lifelong Marvel fan, I feel incredibly fortunate to help bring this darker, thrilling corner of the comic book universe to life, and I’m just grateful to everyone at Marvel Television and Hulu for the opportunity. Marvel’s known for all the heart, humor, and action they put into every series, but this time around we’re adding some scares to that mix. I think we’ve found a compelling way to dissect some of our deepest fears through the experiences of our two lead characters.”
A co-production between Marvel TV and ABC Signature Studios, this is one of several new projects set for Hulu in the future. They also have adult animated series coming down the pipe for M.O.D.O.K. Howard the Duck, Hit Monkey and Tigra and Dazzler, which will all culminate in THE OFFENDERS event series.
Disney, which owns Marvel Studios and a bevy of the Marvel properties, recently got a controlling stake in Hulu after the acquisition of 20th Century Fox, so many expected they would have big plans for the service. Ghost Rider and Helstrom are perfect additions to that slate, as they may be a little more adult-oriented than the company wants for Disney+. Between those and The Offenders, Hulu is shaping up to be the place for Marvel's more mature content, especially as Netflix has canceled all their Marvel-centric shows.