Ghost Rider director Mark Steven Johnson told SCI FI Wire that star Nicolas Cage changed how his character, stunt motorcycle rider Johnny Blaze, transforms into the title demonic hunter. In Johnson's script, Blaze screams in pain as he turns into the flaming demon. But "Nic convinced me that, although Johnny may be in pain, the Ghost Rider is actually happy about the transformation, and it probably feels really good for him to be unleashed after all this time," Johnson said. "And so the screaming with horrible pain that I imagined turned into this maniacal laughter. That made it so much better."
Johnson discussed the making of Ghost Rider over the weekend at the Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention, which he visited during a break from post-production on the movie. "We know that the transformation scene is the most important scene in the whole movie, so it was important that we get it right," Johnson said.
During the transformation scene, Cage's skin sears as he screams and turns into the Marvel Comics character with the distinctive flaming skull. Blaze's motorcycle turns into the fiery Hell Cycle. Johnson also showed a film clip in which the Ghost Rider transforms back into Johnny Blaze at the graveside of his father.
Ghost Rider, also starring Eva Mendes, Sam Elliott, Wes Bentley and Peter Fonda, is scheduled to open nationwide on Feb. 14. —Mike Szymanski
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Cage Changed Ghost Rider