Ghost Rider Is Coming to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 4 After All?

Not all that long ago, Marvel was still scrambling to re-acquire the rights to a lot of their characters from various movie studios. Somewhat recently they managed to get back the rights to several notable characters likeThe PunisherandGhost Rider. The former is already being put to use over on the Netflix side of things, but the latter is still looking for a home in the MCU. It turns out, he may have found one onAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.next season.

According to a new casting call that was uncovered byComicbook.com, it looks like the producers for season 4 ofS.H.I.E.L.D.are looking for a coupel of actors who fit the bill of a more recent version ofGhost Rider, but not the Johnny Blaze version the movie going public became familiar with via a pair of really badNicolas Cagemovies. The casting notice calls for a pair of Latino brothers. One of them who is classified as “the most dangerous person in the room” and the other who is “paralyzed in a wheelchair.” That description sounds undeniably similar to the 2014Ghost Riderseries that Marvel Comics published under the Marvel NOW! Initiative.

That particular book centered on a pair of Latino brothers named Robbie and Gabe Reyes. In the comics, it is Robbie who gets theGhost Riderpowers after a run in with a bad guy Dr. Zabo and hishit squad, who blow him up in a car. He is then brought back to life by a spirit named Eli Morrow, who endows him with the skills and powers associated withGhost Rider. The series focus a lot more on the relationship between the brothers, and how much Robbie cares about Gabe and does what he can to ensure his comfort and safety. He also gets to drive a sweet, superpowered Dodge Charger, as opposed to the more classic motorcycle.

In addition to the staggering similarities between the casting call and the 2014Ghost Ridercomic book, there was another clue we were given recently that led many to speculate that the character may be joining up with theS.H.I.E.L.D.gang next season. Recently, a trolley in downtown San Diego got wrapped as a form of promotion for season 4 of the show, in honor of the upcoming San Diego Comic Con. The wrap heavily featured the fiery chain, most commonly associated withGhost Rider. Many assumed that the chain couldn’t have been aGhost Ridertease, becauseS.H.I.E.L.D.felt like the wrong place for the character, and he is pretty dark. Plus, it could have easily belonged toHellfire, who carries a similar chain and already has a history with the show.

This latest casting announcement seems to almost confirm that the newer version ofGhost Riderwill appear in the show, or it would just be a hardcore, kind of messed up tease on Marvel’s part. That would also mean thatMarvel Studioscould still move ahead with a Johnny BlazeGhost Riderreboot elsewhere, either as a movie or a Netflix series, which has been rumored to be possibly in the cards. IfGhost Rideris actually going to be inAgents of S.H.I.E.L.D.next season, we will almost surely get a confirmation at SDCC this year, so we probably won’t have to wait that long to find out.