I’ve Worked Out The Best Version Of Ghost Rider To Join The MCU

I agree with Marvel Studios’ Brad Winderbaum that the best Ghost Rider to bring into the MCU would be one we’ve never seen in live-action before. Ghost Rider’s MCU debut has been heavily rumored for quite some time, especially since Marvel Studios has been putting more emphasis on supernatural stories and characters in recent years. I’ve loved seeing the development of Moon Knight, Werewolf by Night, Agatha Harkness and more, but Ghost Rider is one of my favorite Marvel heroes, so his possible introduction has me very excited.

In Marvel Comics’ history, there have been six core characters who have become the Spirit of Vengeance in Earth-616 and assumed the title of Ghost Rider. Perhaps the most notable is Johnny Blaze, the first in-publication Ghost Rider, who debuted 1972. However, Marvel Studios’ Head of Streaming, Television and Animation Brad Winderbaum has revealed a different iteration of the hero he wants to bring into the MCU, and I’d love to see this come to fruition, with now being perhaps the perfect time to introduce him.

Danny Ketch’s Ghost Rider Debuted In Marvel Comics In 1990

While Johnny Blaze is the original Ghost Rider (after the Phantom Rider), Danny Ketch was the second character to take up the mantle in 1990’s Ghost Rider (Vol. 3) #1. Ketch’s Ghost Rider was recently name-dropped by Brad Winderbaum during an interview with Collider following the premiere of Marvel Television’s new Agatha All Along series. When asked which character he would instantly green-light a project for if given the opportunity, Winderbaum revealed he would want to do “the Danny Ketch era of Ghost Rider.”

I would wanna do the Danny Ketch era of Ghost Rider. I think there are a lot of people who would be here for some Ghost Rider.

Danny Ketch’s Ghost Rider often gets lost in the mix of the more popular iterations of the flame-headed antihero. Johnny Blaze’s Ghost Rider is iconic, and Robbie Reyes’ Ghost Rider saw new popularity after Gabriel Luna’s debut in Agents of SHIELD, but I want to see Danny Ketch in the MCU. Inspired heavily by the 1990s, Ketch’s Ghost Rider had a more modern vibe than his predecessor. I think this would be great for the MCU, especially since recent projects such as WandaVision and Agatha All Along have been playing with genre and different time periods.

Debuting Danny Ketch’s Ghost Rider Could Bring Something New & Fresh To The Spirit Of Vengeance

Johnny Blaze & Robbie Reyes Have Both Already Been Seen In Live-Action

The fact that Danny Ketch has never had a live-action adaptation before makes me very excited about the possibility of him joining the MCU. Not only would this spotlight a version of Ghost Rider who needs more focus than he’s been given, but this will also bring something fresh, new and exciting to the character, rather than rehashing the same stale Ghost Rider stories from the past. Nicolas Cage and Gabriel Luna’s Ghost Riders had their positives, but I didn’t enjoy every aspect of their characters, as they missed a lot of what makes Ghost Rider so brilliant.

Of course, I would love to see Johnny Blaze in the MCU, and Robbie Reyes brings an interesting and important perspective to Ghost Rider that would also be great to see. However, Danny Ketch’s youthful energy, futuristic but retro textures and complex storylines would translate into the MCU perfectly. Marvel Studios has regularly shied away from detailing the same stories seen in previous live-action projects, such as in the cases of Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four, and Danny Ketch’s Ghost Rider could fill this brief for Ghost Rider.

Danny Ketch’s Ghost Rider Could Be The Next Piece In The MCU’s Midnight Sons Puzzle

Marvel Has Set Up Several Members Of The Midnight Sons

There has been a great deal of speculation, that I have also contributed to, suggesting that Marvel Studios has been setting up the formation of the MCU’s Midnight Sons team in recent years. Several supernaturally-focused characters have been introduced, many of whom would be amazing to see come together as a new superhero team, and Danny Ketch’s Ghost Rider could be a crucial piece of this puzzle. In Marvel Comics, it’s Ketch and Johnny Blaze, revealed to be his long-lost brother, who form the Midnight Sons to battle Lilith, Mother of all Demons.

The Midnight Sons are a very powerful team in Marvel Comics, and I’m very excited about their practically-inevitable debut in the MCU, especially since Danny Ketch is such an important part of the line-up. Ketch does get killed and resurrected twice as a member of the Midnight Sons, but adapting his tumultuous time with the team could be a great way to prove the power of the Spirit of Vengeance in the MCU. I’m not sure exactly when the Midnight Sons will form in the MCU, but I reckon Danny Ketch’s Ghost Rider would be a huge asset.

MCU’s Agatha All Along Might Have Set Up Danny Ketch’s Ghost Rider Perfectly

Agatha All Along Is The MCU’s Latest Supernatural Series

Danny Ketch, and indeed every Ghost Rider, has a connection to the demon Mephisto in Marvel Comics, which means Marvel Television’s Agatha All Along may have perfectly set the stage for Ghost Rider’s MCU debut. I was shocked when Agatha All Along episode 3, “Through Many Miles of Tricks and Trials,” included the MCU’s first ever name-drop of Mephisto, confirming his existence. I’ve also spoken previously about a theory suggesting Aubrey Plaza could be playing his child, Blackheart, who has a complicated connection to Ketch in Marvel Comics.

Danny Ketch made a deal with Blackheart to break his family free from a curse in Marvel Comics. In exchange, a version of Ghost Rider comprised of Ketch and Jennifer Kale combined, would rule over Hell. Sasheer Zamata recently debuted as Jennifer Kale n Agatha All Along, bringing the MCU one step closer to introducing its own version of Ghost Rider. I think Danny Ketch’s Spirit of Vengeance makes the most sense for the MCU’s current timeline, and I can’t wait to see what Marvel does with this brilliant character.

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