GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE” rolls to the screen in 3D!

Warner Bros.' highly-awaited sequel “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” brings to the screen the hell-raising hero Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider in eye-popping 3D!

“The movie for us was always going to be in 3D, from the very beginning – we love making the movie a more immersive experience. It seemed like a really cool idea, especially with our style of shooting,” says co-director Brian Taylor. “We tried to push the envelope with the technology. The first thing they told us was all the things we couldn’t do – no handheld camera, no quick cuts, no lens flares, no soft foreground, no super-long lenses, no super-wide lenses… and we asked, well, why?”

“There are rules, and directors Mark [Neveldine] and Brian wanted to break those rules, so it was my job to break them,” says stereographer Craig Mumma. “We wanted to take their style and adapt it to the screen and make 3D an enjoyable experience. The way Mark and Brian shoot, the camera work is an integral part of the movie, almost like another character. There’s no changing the way they shoot, so we had to come up with tools to adapt.”

In the film, Johnny (Nicolas Cage) - still struggling with his curse as the devil's bounty hunter - is hiding out in a remote part of Eastern Europe when he is recruited by a secret sect of the church to save a young boy from the devil. At first, Johnny is reluctant to embrace the power of the Ghost Rider, but it is the only way to protect the boy - and possibly rid himself of his curse forever.

Neveldine/Taylor’s extreme filmmaking required a story that broke new ground as well. It wouldn’t do to simply pick up where the last film left off. “This story takes place years later, when Blaze – and the Ghost Rider – are in an entirely different place,” says producer Ari Arad. “Johnny Blaze is now miles away from his place of birth, trying to run away from the demon inside him. In comes a priest, Moreau, played by Idris Elba, who promises to help Johnny – if Johnny can help find a certain boy. If Johnny can find the boy and save the child’s soul, he might be able to save his own soul as well.”

Opening across the Philippines on Friday, Feb. 17 in digital 3D and regular theaters, “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Latest computer generated visual FX stun in “GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE”

Though the directors’ focus for Warner Bros.' “Ghost Rider Spirit of Vengeance” was to capture as much of the action in camera as possible, it was clear from the beginning that the film would have to employ CG effects as well. After all, the title character has a flaming skull.

In the film, Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage) -- still struggling with his curse as the devil’s bounty hunter – is hiding out in a remote part of Eastern Europe when he is recruited by a secret sect of the church to save a young boy from the devil. At first, Johnny is reluctant to embrace the power of the Ghost Rider, but it is the only way to protect the boy – and possibly rid himself of his curse forever.

Overseeing the VFX is Visual Effects Supervisor Eric Durst, who says, like all of the departments, the new Ghost Rider film would have a very different look from its predecessor. “[Directors] Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor really wanted a new look for `Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.' It’s a darker film, so we created a look that integrated with that. The look of the character isn’t stylized at all – it is as if Ghost Rider really existed, really had a flaming head. The skull is dark and charred – just as it would be if you really had a skull that was on fire. Another touch like that is the shoulders of the jacket – they would be bubbling up from the heat inside the body.”

The primary challenge in creating the VFX, says Durst, is that the character is “interactive. The light that comes off the flames on his head – it interacts with his shoulders and anything else nearby. But interactive light is very difficult to recreate in the computer. It’s so subtle, and it interacts in different ways with different fabrics and objects. So to achieve that, we took a hood with LED lights on it that flickered on and off. That had two great benefits for us: first, the LED lights served as tracking markers in the computer, so when Nick moved his head from left to right, we could make the skull match those movements. But the LEDs also cast a light on anything that was in proximity, so it would give us the light that would occur if the flame really was on his head.”

Durst also notes that since the release of the first “Ghost Rider” film, there have been tremendous advances in CG animation. “The foundation of getting flames in CG is fluid dynamics, and so much has happened technologically in just the last five or six years,” he says. “For the original film, Sony Pictures Imageworks created their own code and worked within the software systems that existed at the time. It was very labor intensive. For the new film, with six years’ worth of development of the technology in the field, we had a big head start. You can make things look stunningly real now.”

The effects were completed by Iloura, an Australian company. “We canvassed the world to see who had the best fire,” says Durst. “Their first test had everything – the right, dark look for the skull, the flames, the right vibe. Everyone fell in love with it right there, and Iloura did a great job on the movie.”

Opening across the Philippines on Friday, Feb. 17, “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

World's darkest hero rides again in “GHOST RIDER” sequel

He fought the curse. Now, a new evil will make Johnny Blaze embrace his power. This February, the world’s darkest hero rides again in Warner Bros.’ supernatural action-thriller “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.”

Starring Nicolas Cage, the film is directed by Neveldine/Taylor – also known as Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor – who have earned a cult following with their stylish and edgy films, including “Crank” and “Gamer.”

Neveldine explains that the directors were excited to approach their new film for two major reasons. “We were thrilled to have the opportunity to direct a franchise film with Nicolas Cage, and, second, to work with this really cool, edgy, comic book series – I mean, this dude has a flaming skull and kicks major ass,” says Neveldine. “I think the studio wanted to do something edgier with this franchise, so our attitude and style of filmmaking fit perfectly with the tone they were hoping to see. We were all on the same page.”

With a free hand to give the film that edgy tone, the directors could let their imaginations run wild. “The only thing we knew we wanted to keep from the first film was Nick Cage. We wanted to change everything else – the way he looks, the way he dresses, the bike. We wanted souls to be burned and dragged to hell. And lucky for us, the studio said, ‘That’s great; that’s what we were hoping you’d say.’ And that became the start of our process. What we were really going for is a mood, a feeling, an aesthetic – to make him badass.”

That process continued all the way through production, as Neveldine and Taylor employ a kinetic style both in front of and behind the camera, as Cage explains. “The energy of making this film was a different experience,” says the actor. “It’s a much more wild, almost daredevil experience – even the way Mark Neveldine shoots. He’s like a stuntman, risking his life hundreds of times, hanging off of wires or shooting while skating on Rollerblades – he’s a very active, macho filmmaker. Fans are going to be blown away by the photography and Mark, Brian and (Director of Photography) Brandon Trost’s daredevil camerawork.”

Describing their intense set experience, Neveldine says, “At the end of the day, we have to get the performance and the shots, and we’ll get them any way we can. You’ll see us hanging off of cars and shooting on Rollerblades to push the cinematic envelope.”

Where other directors might choose to create the Ghost Rider’s world inside a computer, Neveldine/Taylor capture as much as they can practically. “We use real stunt guys and real motorcycle action – though we did set the guy’s head on fire in the computer afterwards,” says Taylor. “We think it makes for a better, more visceral experience for the viewer if they’re seeing something real.”

Editor Brian Berdan, who worked with the directors on Crank, says, “They are so creative; it’s all hand-held and intuitive and not totally planned out. That liveliness of a hand-held camera and someone with the sense of what to do with it makes it all really come to life. It can be a challenge to edit, because you get a ton of footage – some of which makes you initially think, ‘I can’t do anything with this,’ and then the camera will come in at just the right point and you grab exactly what you need!”

It’s a style that Cage relishes. “They have this gonzo energy, this wild intensity – they’re both really up for anything. I think I fit into that, too.”

“We were excited for our tone and dark humor to leak into the project,” says Neveldine. “At the same time, it was important to keep it grounded and hard-hitting.”

Opening across the Philippines on Feb. 16, “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

NICOLAS CAGE in favor of darker, scarier “GHOST RIDER”

Nicolas Cage returns as Johnny Blaze in Warner Bros.' 3D supernatural action-thriller "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance." In the film, Johnny - still struggling with his curse as the devil's bounty hunter - is hiding out in a remote part of Eastern Europe when he is recruited by a secret sect of the church to save a young boy from the devil. At first, Johnny is reluctant to embrace the power of the Ghost Rider, but it is the only way to protect the boy - and possibly rid himself of his curse forever.

During a press conference at the 2011 San Diego Comic Con, Cage assured fans that “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” will be scarier than his first outing as the comic book-inspired character. “This one, with directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, will go into the wonderful bliss of the nightmare imagination. I think it will be very entertaining.”

Check out the rest of Cage's thoughts about the film in the following interview.

Q. What new things were you able to add to “Ghost Rider” this time?

Nicolas Cage: When I was trying to think about how the Ghost Rider would move, I wanted to find something really weird, which would be like levitating in circles. We called it 'the compass' together, to mess with how he would attack his enemies. It was like trying to design a body language from another dimension that would hopefully scare you and entertain you.

Q. Were there any stunts that really stood out for you, that really pushed your personal limits?

Cage: All the wirework was very stimulating, but also very nauseating, literally. I was going around in circles, upside down, and I was really trying not to throw up because it kept spinning and spinning. It’s one of my favorite things that we all came up with together, so I’m glad it’s there. It was well worth it.

Q. Did you have any pressure to make this film lighter?

Cage: There’s a lot of humor to be found in sarcasm and darkness. You talk to any paramedic, they survive by developing a pretty off-kilter sense of humor. I think Blaze, with any luck, has that because he’s really dealing with the fact that his head goes on fire, for years now. In the first movie, he kept it at bay. He was more like an innocent goofball. In this movie, there’s been a little fiery tapdance on his head, for several years. I think it should change his personality quite a bit.

Q. You played a character who had escaped from hell in “Drive Angry.” Are there any similarities or differences between that and this version of “Ghost Rider”?

Cage: They’re totally different. In “Drive Angry,” I was playing a living dead man. Blaze is a living man who turns into a demon, so it’s a totally different kind of energy. A living dead man has to be a little bit more dead, whereas a living man who turns into a ghost can still be very alive.

Q. When you read comic books as a kid, it wasn’t always the coolest thing, but now you’re in a position in Hollywood to make those seemingly uncool things, cool for everybody. What’s it like to be in this moment in time, when all these characters you loved as a kid are being loved by the masses?

Cage: I actually had a vision of it when I was 9, that this was going to happen. It took a while because we didn’t have the technology to make them come to life so magnificently, as we do today. It was always so goofy, the stupid costumes of “Spider-Man” in the old movies in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and “Captain America.” But now, it’s become all the rage because there’s something in it for everybody. It’s perfect entertainment. It’s exciting for me. I love seeing all the movies happen.

Q. What comics do you read now? What are you passionate about?

Cage: I was into Planet Hulk. I thought that was pretty inspired stuff. I went back in time and looked at Batman vs. Predator. I just had to see who won that battle. There’s a lot of fun stuff. It’s always a good experience to go shopping in a local comic book shop.

Q. Who won that battle?

Cage: It was kind of a tie-breaker, but they usually are. I think Batman won, which was a bit of a stretch.

Brian Taylor: We’ve decided that Ghost Rider can kill all the other superheroes. Ghost Rider can beat Superman.

Cage: Because he has the penance stare, and everyone’s done something wrong. He will just look at you over and over and over and over again.

(Opening across the Philippines on February, “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.)

“GHOST RIDER” director BRIAN TAYLOR says sequel is a re-invention

The directing team Neveldine/Taylor (Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor) – known for its edgy, gritty and kinetic action movies “Crank,” “Crank: High Voltage,” and “Gamer” – take on the supernatural action thriller “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance,” the highly anticipated sequel to the 2007 blockbuster “Ghost Rider” starring Nicolas Cage.

In the sequel, Johnny Blaze (Cage) -- still struggling with his curse as the devil’s bounty hunter – is hiding out in a remote part of Eastern Europe when he is recruited by a secret sect of the church to save a young boy (Fergus Riordan) from the devil (Ciaran Hinds). At first, Johnny is reluctant to embrace the power of the Ghost Rider, but it is the only way to protect the boy – and possibly rid himself of his curse forever.

In the following interview, Brian Taylor -- one half of the directing team -- talks about the film during a visit with journalists on location in Eastern Europe.

Question: How’s the shoot been going for you so far?

Brian Taylor: It’s been going unbelievably well. The cast we have on this movie is unbelievable, so every day, there are performances that make you walk away super-funked up about what you’re doing. The locations I mean are just unbelievable. This place Cappadocia in Turkey, it’s like the desert planet on Star Wars in real life. It’s crazy. I can’t believe nobody’s shot 50 movies there. We’re shooting in these 6,000 year old ruins and just tromping all over them like it’s a backlot. There’ll be like a thousand of year old statue and grips are like standing on the head when they’re setting lights.

Q: Was there one thing coming onto the project that was the most important thing for you to make it your own, make it feel fresh and original?

Taylor: It’s just that we wanted to really humanize it, and well, I think the main decision coming in that we wanted to differentiate this movie and make it alive and fresh. In the last movie, the title character was played by stunt guys, so the big thing we wanted coming in before anything else was the Ghost Rider needs to be played by Nicolas Cage, always, all the time. When he’s fighting, all the time, so 95% of the stuntwork, all the action, everything that is the “GR” is Nic and he’s playing it as a dual role, because the Ghost Rider is possessed by the spirit of Zarathos, it’s a different person, it’s not Johnny Blaze.

So he’s playing it as a dual role and a lot of the planning that went into the movie and preparation for his role is finding that character. What’s the language of this demon? What’s the language of this ancient god or whatever he is? We’ll found out what he is but that’s inhabiting this body. How does he move differently? And we nailed it and that’s what makes it so awesome, because in those scenes, they’re alive and every single frame you’re watching Ghost Rider, it’s gonna be the flaming skull, but you’re going to feel an actor, you’re going to feel a performance and you’re going to feel a character in all of those moments. So it brings the raw energy of the dialogue and all of that stuff into the action scenes, too.

Q: How beholden are you either to the comics or the first movie in terms of the look or story? The new motorcycle is very different and it’s not a big chopper like the comics, which is pretty outrageous.

Taylor: Well there’s been a million Ghost Rider comics. There’s been a lot of different versions of it and they’re all totally different. For me, it’s the full range of styles. The only books that we really were inspired by in the Ghost Rider canon were the Garth Ennis/Clayton Crain series, which is a much darker version of the character.

Q: So you’re almost creating your own version of it?

Taylor: Yeah, we wanted to just completely depart from the first movie and make it a whole thing. We’re picking up this character, whatever, five or six years later, and he’s in a much different place. He’s a much different guy. He’s in Europe, it’s a different bike. The physical transformation that happens to him has progressed where he doesn’t look the same, the skull looks different, everything looks different. It’s changed and progressed. Think of it like an illness and it’s progressed and this is in the final stages of that illness. It’s gonna feel a lot different from the first movie.

Q: Nic was saying that a lot of the things in here are very trippy, so I’m just curious if there are particular scenes that stand out as super-trippy to you?

Taylor: There’s a lot. Well this exorcism scene is going to be excellent. We shot half of it this morning and we shoot half of it at the end, but we’re really welcoming… you know there’s like two different versions of Nicolas Cage. There’s sort of mainstream Cage and there’s balls-to-the-wall Cage, and we’re definitely welcoming the demon. The performance we’re getting from Cage, it’s going to be one of those epic Nic Cage performances that people talk about.

Opening across the Philippines on February, “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Sneak Peek: “GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE”

Nicolas Cage reprises his role as Johnny Blaze in Warner Bros.' new action-thriller “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.” In this gritty new vision for the character, directed by Neveldine/Taylor (“Crank”), Johnny is still struggling with his curse as the devil’s bounty hunter – but he may risk everything as he teams up with the leader of a group of rebel monks (Idris Elba) to save a young boy from the devil… and possibly rid himself of his curse forever.

“Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” is written by Scott M. Gimple & Seth Hoffman and David S. Goyer, with a story by Goyer based on the Marvel Comic.

The producers are Steven Paul, Ashok Amritraj, Michael De Luca, Avi Arad, Ari Arad; while the executive producers are E. Bennett Walsh, David S. Goyer, Stan Lee and Mark Steven Johnson.

Joining Cage in the cast are Ciarán Hinds, Violante Placido, Johnny Whitworth, Christopher Lambert and Idris Elba.

Opening across the Philippines on February 2012, “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.