Why Nicolas Cage's Movie Career Got Really Weird After Ghost Rider
Nicolas Cage opens up about why he took smaller, weirder roles after the disappointing responses to his Ghost Rider movies and other tentpoles. Cage first brought the Marvel hero to life in the eponymous 2007 film exploring the origins of stunt motorcycle rider Johnny Blaze as he signs over his soul to Mephistopheles in an effort to cure his father of his cancer, only for the demon to cause his father's death anyway and transforms him into the demonic soul hunter known as the Ghost Rider. Written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson, who previously wrote and directed the Ben Affleck-led Daredevil movie, Ghost Rider hit theaters to generally negative reviews from critics for its threadbare plot, poor screenplay and reliance on CGI.
Despite the poor reviews, Ghost Rider proved to be a commercial hit, grossing over $228 million against its $110 million budget, leading to a sequel with Cage returning while Crank duo Neveldine/Taylor took over directing duties and Scott M. Gimple, Seth Hoffman and David S. Goyer penned the script. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance hit theaters in 2012 to a worse critical reception than its predecessor, with its poor CGI, worse script and hammy performances receiving widespread criticism. Though a third installment was considered prior to its release, the film's poor critical and commercial reception and Cage's disinterest in returning led to the cancellation of the franchise and the rights to the Ghost Rider character reverting to Marvel Studios.
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In a recent career-spanning feature with The Hollywood Reporter, Nicolas Cage reflected on his blockbuster stardom and brief departure from larger scale films. Cage looked towards the
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