The Marvel Cinematic Universe had its Big Bang in 2008, with Robert Downey Jr.’s debut as the incorrigible Tony Stark in Iron Man.
Ghost Rider could have made for a complicated sort of protagonist, considering his split loyalties and absolute black-and-white code of moral judgement.
Just one year earlier, Hollywood’s concept of a Marvel blockbuster was Nicolas Cage as a flaming CGI skeleton clad in S&M biker gear.
Five years and one day later, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance drove this commitment to a more outré vibe to its most extreme conclusion.