As the MCU continues to grow into some exciting new direction, it seems that the supernatural side of the Marvel universe will be making its way into the movies. Darker horror-centric heroes like Moon Knight and Blade are already confirmed to be joining the MCU played by Oscar Isaac and Mahershala Ali, respectively. As this intriguing world within the cinematic universe grows, another fan-favorite character is sure to make his debut sooner or later.
Ghost Rider is a Marvel character who has had several different iterations, but the most popular was Johnny Blaze. Debuting in 1972, Johnny Blaze was a motorcycle stuntman who made a deal with Mephisto to save the life of his adoptive father. Mephisto declared Johnny's price would be to serve him as a dark emissary and attached "the spirit of vengeance" to him to turn him into Ghost Rider. With a flaming skull and riding his motorcycle, Ghost Rider became one of Marvel's coolest-looking heroes. Though he has been brought to the big screen before in the 2007 movie starring Nicholas Cage and its sequel in 2011, neither movie was received warmly. So it seems time for Ghost Rider to get a second shot and there are some promising actors who could fill this iconic anti-hero role.
Keanu Reeves
Ghost Rider is a character that mixes his heroics with being effortlessly cool. It is a rare actor who can pull that off believably and few do it as well as Keanu Reeves. From Point Break to Speed to The Matrix to John Wick, Reeves is one of the greatest action heroes in movie history. Despite this, the actor has yet to appear in a big comic book franchise although Reeves has reportedly been offered several roles. However, the role of Ghost Rider seems like the perfect fit. Reeves has that cool guy persona down to a tee and he has proven himself more than comfortable on a motorcycle. He has the star power to take on such an iconic role alongside other big names like Mahershala Ali and Oscar Isaac. In fact, one of the biggest hurdles is that Reeves might be too big of a star for the MCU.
Manny Jacinto
From Guardians of the Galaxy's Chris Pratt to Shang-Chi star Simu Liu, Marvel has always enjoyed casting funny sitcom stars as superheroes. One actor who fits this brand is Manny Jacinto who played the lovably dim-witted Jason on The Good Place. Jacinto has also been showing off his range in a number of varied roles, Nine Perfect Strangers and the upcoming Top Gun: Maverick. Jacinto has the typical movie star and action hero look shared by the other actors of the MCU. But his great comedic skills are also a big selling point as the MCU prides itself on delivering big laughs along with its action moments. He seems to be just waiting for that big role that will make him a household name and Ghost Rider could be it.
Timothy Olyphant
Timothy Olyphant might not be a huge movie star, but he has been one of the most entertaining and solid actors on television for a number of years. He received a lot of praise and attention for his scene-stealing role of Cobb Vanth, the space sheriff who donned Boba Fett's old armor in The Mandalorian. Much like that role, Olyphant has perfected playing cowboy roles. This is best seen in the brilliant series Justified where Olyphant played U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens. Olyphant made for a badass hero with endless swagger. It is easy to see Olyphant pulling off a cool anti-hero role like Ghost Rider, and given that the character began as a ghostly cowboy, it would be appropriate for him to bring a bit of Western energy to the role. And while Olyphant does the hero role well, he also gave a hilarious performance in the underrated Netflix comedy Santa Clarita Diet.
Anthony Ramos
Anthony Ramos is another actor who seems destined become a huge star. Though he started out as a standout member of the cast of Hamilton, Ramos has already started an impressive career in Hollywood. Along with his acclaimed role in the musical In the Heights, Ramos is set to star in the new Transformers movie. But a role as an MCU hero could really bring him to another level of stardom. Ramos has a lot of charisma and is a very likable presence on the screen. While it would be interesting to see him play one of the darker Marvel heroes, there's also no doubt he would bring crowd-pleasing energy to the role.
LaKeith Stanfield
LaKeith Stanfield is one of the most exciting characters in the business right now. Along with his breakout role in Atlanta as the hilarious eccentric Darius, Stanfield has shown his range in a number of acclaimed projects. He is as effective in smaller supporting roles in movies like Get Out and Uncut Gems as he is in leading roles like Judas and the Black Messiah and Sorry to Bother You. He would certainly bring his own unique take on Ghost Rider that could make him stand out as one of the most compelling heroes in the MCU. Stanfield could really explore the grey areas of the character while also bringing comedy and likability to the role.