It was last year that we first learned of Marvel Studios' supposed plans to introduce the MCU's new Ghost Rider in Avengers: Doomsday.
It made sense, as the Russo Brothers frequently bring major new characters into this world with their movies, whether it's The Falcon in Captain America: The Winter Soldier or Spider-Man and Black Panther in Captain America: Civil War.
We never did find out whether this Ghost Rider would be a one-off Variant or the version of the character who takes centre stage in Midnight Sons and other supernatural projects post-Avengers: Secret Wars. There was even unverified chatter that The Batman star Robert Pattinson met with Kevin Feige to discuss the role.
Avengers: Doomsday began shooting with an unfinished script, suggesting the story was still in flux even as cameras were rolling. Unfortunately, the Spirit of Vengeance may have been a casualty of that.
According to insider Daniel Richtman, "Even though they were looking to cast Ghost Rider for [Avengers: Doomsday], he’s not currently in the film, so I guess they changed their minds."
It's always possible that Ghost Rider is added during April's reshoots, but this is a disappointing update, nonetheless. Still, with so many characters already in the movie and Doctor Doom likely to be the main focus, it's easy enough to see why Johnny Blaze's MCU debut may have been pushed back.
The Spirit of Vengeance was previously rumoured to appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. That may have been the plan when the movie was scheduled to open between Doomsday and Secret Wars, but it then seemed like Ghost Rider was being saved for the Avengers franchise.
The Last of Us star Gabriel Luna was the last actor to play Ghost Rider, playing Robbie Reyes in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. "I'm open to it," he told us last year. "As somebody who loved that part and loves that character with all his heart, and somebody who loves that universe and storytelling...I always keep the door open."
"It makes me feel very happy just to know that people hold it that closely, and I think Clark [Gregg], Chloe [Bennet], and Ming [-Na Wen] were at New York Comic Con recently, and someone sent me a video of them just talking really sweetly about me up on the stage there. Basically, naming that fourth season as their favourite, which means a lot, because they had such a beautiful family on that show and delivered seven really wonderful seasons. For them to hold that season as the jewel of their experience really is special."
"Yeah, I love Robbie, I love the Ghost Rider. You know, they have my number."
The Russo Brothers direct Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars from a screenplay by Stephen McFeely, with whom they previously collaborated on the Avengers and Captain America franchises. Loki and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness's Michael Waldron has also been enlisted to help.
Avengers: Doomsday is set to be released on December 18, with Avengers: Secret Wars scheduled to arrive on December 17, 2027.