The world loves anti-heroes. The world needs anti-heroes. For decades, super-powered individuals have been collectively categorized into ‘good’ and ‘evil’ — this usually works, but audiences are growing more and more receptive to the fact that morality isn’t black and white. Everything exists in a gray area. Right and wrong are perspective-based, and superhumans are just that — human. One of the most telling examples of anti-heroism is Marvel’s own Johnny Blaze, popularly known as the Ghost Rider.

A daredevil-turned-supernatural-being, Johnny Blaze was a reckless young stunt performer who sold his soul to Mephistopheles himself. His motive? Saving his dying father, fellow stuntman Crash Simpson. The results? The Demon King allowed Crash to die on a technicality, and Johnny found himself bound to the powerful Spirit of Vengeance. Ghost Rider is an exciting, well-rounded character, and the world is ready to watch him blaze across the screen yet again, after being introduced to the world by Nicolas Cage in Ghost Riderin 2007. Now that rumors are going around about Ghost Rider joining the MCU, the Internet is alight with fan speculations on who gets to lace up Johnny’s leather boots. Burning with curiosity? Here’s our list of 9 actors who should definitely be in the running to play Ghost Rider in the MCU.

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9 Fergie L. Philippe

     Via: Cameo

Best known for his electrifying performance as Hercules Mulligan and James Madison in the Broadway hit Hamilton, Fergie L. Phillippe’s most impressive skills come from his ability to perform on a stage. His vocal range and projection are unbeatable, and he’s talented enough to give harsh ruggedness and finesse at the drop of a hat.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

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8 Ruby Rose

     The CW

Now is the time for more widespread LGBTQ+ representation in superhero films, and Ruby Rose would be another excellent choice for Ghost Rider. The actress is an established action and drama star with a super-heroic resume, including a major role as the first openly-lesbian Batwoman in The CW’s Arrowverse. She has that unmistakable fierceness that only a fiery spirit could have, and she’s sure to have great chemistry with anyone in the MCU. This wouldn’t be the first time a Marvel Comics character’s gender was swapped for an MCU movie: Eternals swapped Ajak’s gender from male, in the comics, to female, on-screen, in a conscious effort to bring a more nuanced story to life.

7 Javier Bardem

     Via: Mediapro

This impressive screen legend is one of the most imposing actors in American and Hispanic cinema, and he has a certain suave demeanor that would be amazing in Johnny’s personality. In fact, Javer Bardem’s role as the ghost pirate Captain Salazar in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales already proved that he’s incredible as a half-human, otherworldly monster! Truly, he would do the Rider justice.

6 Ron Perlman

     Via: Fox 21

The original Hellboy, Ron Perlman checks all the boxes for a great Ghost Rider. He’s got a knack for portraying dark outcasts, his voice is phenomenal, and he knows how to blend comedic timing into bleak stories. We’d love to see him give Johnny a mature, calculated outlook, especially if the MCU shows us a Ghost Rider with more control over the Spirit of Vengeance.

5 Jensen Ackles

Jensen Ackles has done a lot of great work throughout his career, but the defining role that makes him perfect for Ghost Rider is Supernatural. Ackles played a hardcore demon-hunter in the show, and we’ve already seen him deal with otherworldly forces on-screen. He’s rugged and tough, and his attitude is exactly what you would expect from a man who lost everything to a Hellish Prince.

4 Jon Bernthal

     Via: Marvel Television

It’s hard to portray characters like The Punisher, but Jon Bernthal has done it with visible passion. He has everything the MCU needs in an anti-hero: grit, determination, and a healthy dose of world-weary pessimism. All of these qualities would go a long way in bringing Johnny Blaze to life, and his experience with combat sequences would take fight scenes to an entirely new level.

3 Norman Reedus

     AMC

The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus has already stolen everyone’s hearts as a dark misfit from Smalltown USA, and now casting rumors are swirling of him playing Ghost Rider. In a response to fan art of him as Johnny Blaze, Reedus told Entertainment Weekly that viewers should “cross their fingers” if they hoped to see him take on the Spirit of Vengeance. With his impressive background (and zombie-fighting skills), we’re willing to cross our fingers and hope for the best, too!

2 Idris Elba

     Via: Columbia Pictures

Iconic actor Idris Elba joined Nicolas Cage in Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance in 2011. His role was Moreau, an alcoholic monk who worked with Cage to protect a young boy from being exploited by his demon father. Astute, poised, and a relentlessly powerful force in combat, Elba is one of the best possible choices to give the Rider another shot at life on the silver screen.

1 Nicolas Cage

     Columbia Pictures

To this day, Nicolas Cage is the only actor to portray Johnny Blaze in a live-action Ghost Rider movie. Though he technically played the character outside the MCU, we’d love to see him take the role alongside Marvel’s heroes! Cage has a great way of exemplifying Johnny’s internal struggles, and he’s both surprisingly intimidating and immensely relatable at the same time. He adds just the right splash of insanity to the character, and we’re here for it.