Nicolas Cage has just declared “war” on Marvel.
In a statement as forceful as a flaming chain whip, Cage accused Marvel of secretly trying to exclude him from the Ghost Rider franchise and preparing to push forward with sequels without him.
“It was never just about putting on the suit. I was the one who pushed for the first movie when the studio didn’t even know how to handle the project. The agreement clearly included sequel participation rights and royalty shares related to subsequent live-action Ghost Rider works that I pioneered. They can’t reboot the series and recast it while still keeping the money that should be paid to me.”
Cage stated that Marvel had been secretly planning a new version while treating his rightful backend participation as optional.
“If they don’t continue with me, they still have to pay me. This isn’t just my personal opinion; it’s written in black and white in the contract. You can’t exploit the franchise I created, keep my image in the promotional history, and then pretend the royalty agreement doesn’t exist just because it’s more convenient.”
He also mentioned Avengers 6: Secret Wars.
“If they are assembling all the major characters for that film, then Ghost Rider will definitely be discussed. If they mention my version, use it for promotion, or sell merchandise related to the movie based on it, I expect to be compensated and to make an appearance. I’m not asking for charity. I’m simply demanding that they honor the agreement they already signed.”
No cryptic lines, no poetic monologues with a flaming skull.
Only Nicolas Cage made it clear to Marvel: sequels, royalties, and a spot in the Avengers movies were never things they could take for free.
