Walking Deads Norman Reedus Wants To Play MCUs Ghost Rider

Avid motorcyclist and star of The Walking Dead, Norman Reedus, reveals his desire to play the fiery anithero, Ghost Rider, in Marvel's next reboot.

Norman Reedus, star of The Walking Dead, wants to hit the road as Marvel's fiery superhero, Ghost Rider. Originally a stunt motorcyclist, Johnny Blaze gives his soul to "Satan" (later revealed as the demon Mephisto) in an attempt to save his father's life. This in turn causes Blaze to transform into the Ghost Rider, with flesh consumed by hellfire and a head replaced by a flaming skull at night and when in the presence of evil. Bonded with the demon Zarathos, Ghost Rider rides a fiery motorcycle while wielding chains of hellfire.

Marvel first brought Ghost Rider to the big screen in the 2007 film of the same name, which starred Nicolas Cage as the antihero. While the movie was largely panned by critics and fans, it still managed to rake in over $228 million worldwide. Cage then brought back his signature over-the-top acting style to the character in the 2011 sequel, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, which received even worse reviews. Despite earning $132 million worldwide, the sequel's poor reception would eventually kill the franchise. The character's rights were reverted back to Marvel, which spawned an alternative version of Ghost Rider that surfaced in multiple episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Now, it seems another version of the spirit of vengeance may be in the works.

In an exclusive interview with ComicBook\, Reedus revealed his desire to play Ghost Rider. The Walking Dead actor says that it would be "so fun" to play Johnny Blaze and the fiery antihero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Reedus says the conversation of who should play Ghost Rider next "has been coming up for years," and he wants "them to put [him] in it."

Though mostly known for his work on The Walking Dead, Reedus is an avid motorcyclist that also hosts his own show, Ride with Norman Reedus, on AMC. The show sees the actor traveling across the country on a motorcycle accompanied by fellow celebrities and is in its fifth season. In his spare time, Reedus not only loves to ride motorcycles, but he also has an impressive collection of around 12 bikes, which he sometimes showcases on his show.

Playing a stunt motorcyclist turned superhero would be an easy fit for Reedus, given his passion for motorcycles. He also wouldn't be the only Walking Dead actor to make the jump to Marvel, with his on-screen big brother Michael Rooker starring as Yondu in Guardians of the Galaxy. Though rumors of a Ghost Rider reboot have been recently debunked, if it does happen, casting Reedus as the spirit of vengeance could bring another dimension to the character that may have been missing from the Nick Cage flick.