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Goyer on His Ghost Rider 2 Script Plus a Magneto Update

by Alex Billington
October 2, 2009
Source: Collider

Last week a new story hit about upcoming Marvel projects, including Daredevil, Silver Surfer, and a Ghost Rider sequel. In that story, it was revealed that Sony had decided to bring on writer/director David Goyer for Ghost Rider 2, since he had written a script 9 years ago for Ghost Rider that they were now going to use for the sequel. Collider recently talked with Goyer and learned that all of that was true and that they're going back to his script and only polishing it to tone it down from R to PG-13. He also gave a brief update on X-Men Origins: Magneto, another Goyer comic book project that's been in the works for a very long time.

"In the case of Ghost Rider... I wrote a script for that about 9 years ago, and Sony decided, and the producers, that they wanted to make that as the sequel script. So in this case I'm coming on as a producer and we're basically just doing a polish of my 9 year old script. So there's not as much work involved."

Goyer went on to say that "it was definitely written as a hard R... It was a Blade-type film. And now they want it to be PG-13." I wouldn't be so worried that they're making that change, though, because Goyer says he's hoping they'll be able to push the limits of the rating. He goes on to reference The Dark Knight and how they'll be able to take Ghost Rider 2 to the edge of the PG-13 rating, since that's exactly what The Dark Knight did without losing its dark and violent elements. It's at least good to know his script started out at the R rated level. This might be a good sign that the sequel could actually turn out pretty damn good.

On the Magneto front, while we've heard quite a bit about that project recently (see here), Goyer still seems hesitant. "Fox is still mulling that. Originally it was kind of neck-and-neck with Wolverine. They're developing that... I think they're just trying to figure out what they want to do next and I'm kind of busy doing this other stuff right now, so if they decide they want to make it and come to me and say 'hey, let's make it', I'll have to figure it out." That "other stuff" he's doing is developing and directing episodes of the new ABC series "FlashForward", which will be consuming more and more of his time as the show continues.

Although that's not a huge update, I think it actually reveals a lot. First, this confirms that the Magneto movie really is David Goyer's project completely (exactly as James McTeigue stated). It's his baby and Fox won't be making it without him directing. Secondly, it sounds like it's still a long way off, despite the claim that it could be happening within a year. I'd love to see it, but it seems like it's still on the backburner at Fox unless they one day change their mind. In fact, I expect Ghost Rider 2 to get made before Magneto does.

Filed under Hype, Movie News, Opinions

From around the web:

Marius

Why don't they just make the damn thing rated R? Punisher: War Zone was and that's what made it better than the first one. These Marvel Knights characters such as Punisher, Moon Knight, DareDevil and Ghost Rider to to be seen in full. Holding back on visuals and scripts are what make the film bomb. Characters such as these aren't meant to be role models for kids. They're dark heroes in a dark world. 'Nuff said.
Shane

To answer the above question: $$$$$
DoomCanoe

is Cage going to return as Ghost Rider? cause he fucking sucked
DoomCanoe

#1 The Punisher was 500x better then Punisher:War Zone
SlashBeast

#1 - Marius They won't make it Rated R like Punisher: War Zone because Punisher: War Zone a) sucked, b) bombed at the box office.
Drunkimus

I'm with #1 1st Punisher was boring
Spider94

there are some Marvel heroes that deserve hard r ratings (deadpool,the punisher,daredevil) and don't even count the dark knight in,the movie had a good script and director.what the pg-13 rating sometimes does to a marvel movie or any comic book movie is that it makes it more,1)silly 2)bad script happens 3(you dont get much out of the story. i dont know why is it soo hard just to stick to a simple storyline from a comic and not make up some bullshit story. -all they want is the money they don't care about the fans anymore just to make it simple
Janny

i will also throw my support behind #1... punisher warzone was better than punisher (2004) although it wasn't as good as its potential Now as to ghost rider 2... people need to stop referencing the dark knight, unless nolan is directing another comic book adaptation Fox's track record of making marvel movies blows... most of the crap they turn out is a big F U to fans of each respective character... I don't see ghost rider 2, magneto, daredevil, silver surfer being any different. Though the comic fan in me dares to dream otherwise
Spider

So far so good! Goyer rocks and knows his comic book stuff! As long as Sony keeps Mark Steven Johnson far, far away from this, I'm sure it will rock harder and better than the 1st one! For the record, "Punisher: War Zone" kicked ass in that it WAS a 'Punisher' flick. The Tom Jane flick from '04 was ok, but not as good, despite the all-star cast. ** I sure hope it's Sony and not Fox who produces this! Nic Cage was ok and I'm sure he'll bring his A game!!!
harm

Another fan of the Ray Stevenson Punisher:War Zone. Thats how some of Marvels darker characters should be portrayed. Not dumbed down into kiddy flicks. Ghost Rider has the powers of Hell. In the creation comics he literally spoke with the devil on a regular basis. Why the hell change that? Let him go to hell, a real hell. Not some Covenant/Underworld rip of BS. And seriously, Peter Fonda as satan? Give me a break!
LeoJRob

Yes is true pg-13 movies are bound to do more money. But God!!!! Their some material that needs to stay just the way it is. First, yes Punisher War Zone was better and yes it didn't do well......why you ask? no star power in it. And please Fox stop fucking up comic book movies!!! Don't make me talk about X-men Wolverine and what you did to Deadpool you Mother@##$% Ghost Rider is an adult comic book. Daredevil is an adult comic book. Respect the material...
Dr. Gonzo

Fuck sake, quit with The Dark Knight referencing. It's seriously old. The same hacks on Terminator Salvation kept drawing comparisons because they were rubbing it down to PG-13. Doesn't mean it'll be as good as The Dark Knight. Ghost Rider is an adult comic book. Turning R-rated material into PG-13 fodder results in a crap film and crap box office results. The studios need to evolve and think outside their tiny little boxes - a GOOD film results in great box office returns, not the rating.
Fisherr

Respect @11 You just said what i wanted to see and there is nothing to be added on what you said.
http://www.twitter.com/gimmesumsuga Mathieu

I think #12, Dr. Gonzo, said it best - although as Goyer actually had a hand in that film he should be an exception to the rule. For everyone else though, please stop trying to pretend that your watered-down, sanitised flick is in any way not selling out by going for the PG-13 rating when the material clearly demands an R.
Alex

Ghost Rider was just about the worst comic book film ever made. It made Spider-Man 3 look serious.
snickers

Agree with the other comments about the ratings. PG-13 is watered-down garbage. I preferred the days when we got R-rated flicks - and they always did well at the box office.
bozo

Ghost Rider 2 script is being polished to PG-13 (Sony), Magneto idea still being "mulled over" (Fox)... what's wrong with this picture?
zetsu

@ 15 ghost rider worst comic book film ever.have you ever seen the punisher (dolph lundren)daredevil & electra are all pretty fucking shit.nic cage has a quite a big fan base,but personally i think he sucks balls in his stoned,elvis inpression all the time,so recast the role. as for magneto how hard can this be if check out the start of x-men where magneto as a young boy & the nazi soliders(best scene in the first x-men) i think this is the road they must go down.but i suppose fox will be more concerned about how many guest star mutants that are totally irreivent to story can be put into the film(x-men origins wolverine)so look out for cameos of wolverine,deadpool & so on.fox more mutants don't mean better film(x-men 3 last stand & wolverine)just make the following fucking films another x-men,x-men origins deadpool & x-men origins sabertooth & get a fucking move on.
splinter

I am still finding it funny that a majority of the fans give a crap about the rating, all i want is a good movie, the first punisher was pretty good especially on its budget and Thomas Jane did a great job, and i think the second one was not as great because when you get an r rated movie the director atomically want to put more guts and tits, which i am all for but id rather them pay attention to story and characters 1st. Also i like the anticipation of a kill rather to seeing it because it it leaves more to imagination. unfortunately the majority of fans want to see the comic book version and dont realize its efen Hollywood people !!!! in the end its just about getting you in the dam seat.
dude

Truth to the comic book is most important for the majority of these super hero titles. The reason most of these movies suck is simply due to finalized scripts that pretty much change, ruin and insult what the true creators and writers of these characters had already established over many many years in the comic books. Virtually rewriting characters that have complex origins and stories that span (in most cases) over decades is a sure shot way to fail. Ratings, directors and writers aside, I think hollywood would have figured out by now how best to adapt comic books into movies. Retell the old comics -maybe adapt certain things to fit modern times and current events, but don't write completely new ones. Wolverine was one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Flat out terrible. An insult to Wolverine, The X-Men franchise, and to Marvel as a whole. Fox's track record with all Marvel Characters is pretty bad. Iron Man and the most recent Hulk, however, both did a great job of portraying and retelling their stories. There were modifications to their origins and some slight contrasts to their comic versions, but all in all, the scripts reflected the comic books. And on a side note, they were both PG-13, very much so. Obviously, that might not work for a true blue Ghost Rider movie that stays close to the comic books... Simply put, if the movie industry thinks its worth turning certain comic books into movies, why aren't they actually retelling the stories that made these characters so great and popular in the first place? Let the stories dictate the rating; it'll pretty much reflect the age of its fan base anyways... and them comic book nerds will make it a big block buster by seeing it multiple times in the theatre's if its worth it.
Governor

^ They're not blandly retelling stories because that shit's been done to death in the comics and we're here to explore new frontiers. Movies are adaptations, not translations, you whore.