Marvel is really pushing ahead with its television show offerings, and on the heels of news regarding upcoming Disney+ projects and Sony's Spider-Man projects, Hulu is getting in on the fun. It was previously reported that Hulu was getting a live-action Ghost Rider TV show, with Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. actor Gabriel Luna set to reprise his role as the character. Now, we're learning that while Luna is involved, this show is, reportedly, in no way connected to the ABC series.
So, what's going on? Essentially, Marvel has decided to keep Gabriel Luna as its face for Robbie Reyes, but will be telling an entirely new story that's "in no way" connected to his Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. storyline. Variety reported that this is a new iteration of the character, which means things that were relevant in his adventure with S.H.I.E.L.D. might either be retconned or the details of his story completely changed.
While that part may change, we would assume the core details of Robbie Reyes will stay the same. Those details being that Robbie Reyes is a motor vehicle enthusiast who ends up dying and is later revived to become Ghost Rider. His brother Gabe will probably be involved, and unlike the Ghost Riders before him, he won’t be inhabited by the Spirit of Vengeance. Other things can always change, but it’s hard to imagine Marvel breaking from these core elements.
The decision is somewhat confusing, though, as removing the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ties presumably disconnects the live-action series from many other Marvel live-action shows. Granted, all of the ones on Netflix were cancelled, so really it only alienates this new Ghost Rider from crossovers with Cloak & Dagger and Runaways, but what happens if those other shows return? Hulu mentioned it was interested in bringing back shows like Daredevil, could this be the final sign that those shows are dead or will be headed elsewhere whenever they might be able to return?
Beyond that, other previously reported details about the series remain the same. Ingrid Escajeda is the showrunner and executive producer, and Paul Zbyszewski and Marvel TV's Jeph Loeb are also executive producers. The project is on track for a 2020 release.
Ghost Rider wasn’t the only Marvel series recently announced for Hulu, as Helstrom, which will follow the children of a powerful and mysterious serial killer as they track down the worst of humanity, will also be getting a run on the platform at well. Given these characters’ histories, it seems likely they could crossover, provided they don’t end up flopping. That doesn’t seem likely given Hulu’s interest in all things Marvel, as these two shows join the ranks of Runaways, and a heaping helping of animated projects that include Howard The Duck, Tigra & Dazzler, and more.
As mentioned, Ghost Rider is expected to arrive on Hulu in 2020. Stick with CinemaBlend in the meantime for more updates on Marvel programming, as well as a plethora of other superhero projects.
