Hulu cancels 'Marvel's Ghost Rider', lets go of an ideal opportunity for the antihero to make a glorious comeback
When it was announced that a 'Marvel's Ghost Rider' and 'Helstrom' series were in the works and Hulu would pick up the live-action series, it was news that warmed fans' hearts. However, Deadline reported that while Marvel's 'Helstrom' was work in progress, the streamer network and the team of 'Ghost Rider' had reached a "creative impasse" that couldn't be sorted out, leading to Hulu's decision to not move forward with the series. In addition, the site also reported it is yet unclear if the show may be shopped elsewhere.
While we await this decision, the entire news comes across as a shocker given how the character has a solid story arc with tremendous potential and is a story worth telling. Earlier, Marvel Television head Jeph Loeb told Deadline that the studios saw that there were three or four shows that we could put together that we now refer to as 'Adventure into Fear'. "There is in the comic book world the Spirit of Vengeance", he said. "And they are this sort of unusual group of characters, which involve 'Ghost Rider', which involves 'Helstrom', which involves 'Helstrom’s sister, Anna". Loeb also clarified that what Marvel TV is aiming for is "terror", not "horror".
Robbie Reyes aka 'Ghost Rider' is a quintessential antihero. Consumed by fire and bound supernaturally to a demon, Reyes lives on the Texas-Mexico border. He brings vengeance for the innocents he encounters but struggles to control the power he wields. The character was last played by Gabriel Luna in ABC'S 'Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.' The actor was slated to reprise his role in the upcoming series, but the recent development leaves his future as the character up in the air.
Last we saw, Reyes made a blazing entry in season four of 'AoS' and after a battle with the villainous Eli Morrow (José Zúñiga), he had fulfilled his quest for revenge with the death of Morrow and was seemingly blasted away to another dimension. Speculations were rife the series may take place post the events of the battle with Morrow and see Reyes face off against a new breed of enemies. His exit left enough room to develop a solid story arc around the character and with 'Helstrom' alongside it, the scenario would be ideal to introduce supernatural heroes to form the 'Spirits of Vengeance'.
Adding to this is the fact that the world could have a better portrayal of the character. The two 'Ghost Rider' flicks that were produced in 2007 and 2012 were damp squibs and received negative feedback. Their Rotten Tomatoes scores were 26% and 18% respectively. Their critical consensus on the site summed up their performances. "Ghost Rider is a sour mix of morose, glum histrionics amidst jokey puns and hammy dialogue" and "With a weak script, uneven CG work, and a Nic Cage performance so predictably loony it's no longer amusing, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance aims to be trashy fun but ends up as plain trash."
Perhaps, the series was an ideal opportunity for the antihero to make a glorious comeback, just like he did in 'AoS', but for now, it looks like a long wait.
Meanwhile, Marvel Television still remains a pivotal, leading supplier to Hulu with 'Marvel's Runaways' and 'Helstrom'. It also has four animated series— 'Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K', 'Marvel’s Hit-Monkey', 'Marvel’s Tigra & Dazzler Show' and 'Marvel’s Howard the Duck' — set to make an appearance in 2020, culminating in a special event, 'Marvel’s The Offenders'.