This isn’t even the first time that Reedus’ name has been mentioned for the job. He’s also been quite a bit more explicit about his interest. He wants the job and he’s not afraid to tell anyone who will listen that he wants to be the MCU’s version of Ghost Rider. He’s in fact said out loud that he badly wants the part. The question now is whether or not Kevin Feige and the other Marvel bigwigs are really considering him. If they are, then it turns out they might be making the right decision. If for some reason they aren’t thinking that Norman Reedus would be the perfect man for the job, then here’s hoping they eventually change their mind.
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Norman Reedus’ Motorcycle Chops Are Unchallenged
One of the big things that a new Ghost Rider movie needs is someone who just looks at home on a motorcycle. Obviously, it’s not all that hard to train someone to ride a motorcycle or even look like they really belong on one. However, there is a difference between someone who has been riding a cycle for years and someone who learned a few months before they get on screen. There’s a level of confidence that someone who has been riding the machines for a long period of time is going to have versus someone who learned how to do it just for a shoot. Norman Reedus is someone who has long loved motorcycles. He even got his own show that was just about him riding around on motorcycles. He looks like a natural and that will be far more convincing for audiences than another actor.
There’s also the fact that thanks to The Walking Dead, audiences see Norman Reedus as someone who rides motorcycles. That will go a long way in convincing an audience that he’s perfect for Ghost Rider. Those who watch the show, or have even seen advertisements or clips where he’s playing Daryl Dixon will already see him as someone who does this kind of thing. That can actually go quite a ways in convincing audiences that he’s someone they’re used to seeing on those kinds of machines. That will go a long way in making the character be taken more seriously.
There’s also the fact that he looks like someone who rides a motorcycle. Part of the reason Nicolas Cage didn’t really work out the last time there was a Ghost Rider movie is that he looked a little too polished. The dyed black hair didn’t help there. Reedus’ years as Daryl Dixon has perfect the grizzled look that someone who not only rides a motorcycle all day but is also a tortured soul whose head bursts into flames from time to time. Norman Reedus legitimately looks the part and is someone that audiences can accept.
Norman Reedus Could Bring His Audience To Ghost Rider
While the MCU usually doesn’t really need to worry about bringing in an audience, it could be running into a bit of a roadblock when it comes to a new Ghost Rider movie. In fact, it could be the same kind of roadblock that the latest Fantastic Four movie ran into. There’s already been a Ghost Rider movie and while Nicolas Cage’s version has a cult following, it was also pretty bad. Marvel fans have likely at least heard the movie was bad if they haven’t actually seen it. That might have been why the latest Fantastic Four movie tanked as well. It may be why the next Fantastic Four movie is going to have issues too. Audiences may not want to give this particular character another chance.
That’s where Norman Reedus could really help bring people to the theater. The Walking Dead has a rather sizable audience and Reedus is likely the most popular actor on the show. He’s been there since the very beginning and he’s only endeared himself more to the audience over the years. His character, Daryl Dixon has gone from a jerky kid who yelled at everyone all the time to a loyal person who would do anything to protect the people that are under his charge. That also happens to be the kind of character that the Ghost Rider could benefit from having. But that’s really secondary. As the push to make him the Ghost Rider has shown, his fan base is loyal and they want him to take on the role. If he did get it, they would also then come to the theater.
Norman Reedus Is Fit For A Big Screen Or Small Screen Ghost Rider
There is one other big reason why Norman Reedus might fit in better than other candidates out there. Whether the plan for the MCU is to put Ghost Rider on the big screen, or to give the character his own Disney Plus show, the actor would have no problem doing either. In fact, he’s well-armed to do both, should the character go the route of several other MCU heroes these days. While it seems as if the immediate plans are for a movie, that hasn’t stopped Disney Plus from bringing most of the rest of the MCU to the small screen. However, most of those series seem to have a shelf life in part because they are starring actors that are more suited for the big screen.
Reedus has done movies, he understands the demands of that kind of production. But he’s also spent more than a decade on television. He’s not someone who might bail out on the character because it would be a TV show. He’d also seemingly know how to change his approach and his preparation depending on what he’s being asked to do from one project to another.
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