Ghost Rider 2 gets the go ahead

After a bit of speculation, and rumours that a casting change may be forced, all has been settled in the world of Ghost Rider 2, and the movie now has its green light.

Sony was facing a race against the clock to get the film into production by the end of the year (November 14th reportedly being the deadline), else the rights to Ghost Rider movies would have reverted back to Marvel, and consequently Disney. The chances of Disney then licensing them out again? Not very high at all.

The problem that Sony faced, however, was Nicolas Cage's schedule. He's committed to shoot a third National Treasure movie at the end of this year (for Disney, ironically), which threatened the possibility of Sony having to recast the title role in the film. After all, if it couldn't meet the deadline to have the film into production with Cage, its options would have been limited to finding a new Ghost Rider, or not having one at all.

Well, the clouds have now cleared, and it looks as if Sony has the ending to the story that it wants. For firstly, there will be a Ghost Rider 2, and secondly, Nicolas Cage will be reprising the title role.

Furthermore, Sony has confirmed who will be directing Ghost Rider 2. And, as has been rumoured, the job has gone to the brains behind the Crank and Gamer movies, Brian Taylor and Mark Neveldine. They're working to a David Goyer screenplay, which will be set nearly a decade after the first film. Shooting is expected to begin before the end of the year, which we assume means that Nicolas Cage has got a very, very busy few months ahead.

The title for the film, incidentally? Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance. And it might just be ready for late next year or, more likely, early 2012.