UPDATE: According to Variety, Gabriel Luna will reprise his role as Ghost Rider for the new Hulu series.
Leaving Netflix in its rear-view mirror, Marvel is bringing Ghost Rider and Hellstrom live-action series to Hulu in 2020.
The streaming service, in which Disney owns a majority stake, made the announcement this morning during a presentation in New York City. Marvel's Ghost Rider and Marvel's Helstrom -- as the latter is spelled in the announcement -- will join Marvel's Runaways and a planned adult-oriented animated slate featuring Marvel’s M.O.D.O.K, Marvel’s Hit-Monkey, Marvel’s Tigra & Dazzler Show and Marvel’s Howard The Duck.
Marvel's Ghost Rider will feature the Robbie Reyes incarnation of the Spirit of Vengeance, who made his television debut during the fourth season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (played by Gabriel Luna). Described by Hulu as "a quintessential antihero, consumed by hellfire and supernaturally bound to a demon." Living on the Texas/Mexico border Robbie brings vengeance for the innocents he encounters as Ghost Rider, "but struggles to control the power he wields." Ingrid Escajeda (Justified, Empire) will serve as executive producer showrunner.
Although no casting information was revealed, Luna teased "Chains a’ rattlin’" last night on Twitter; he retweeted the announcement this morning.
Marvel's Helstorm focuses on Daimon and Ana Helstrom, characterized as the son and daughter of "a mysterious and powerful serial killer" who "track down the terrorizing worst of humanity." The series is based on Daimon Hellstrom, long known as "the Son of Satan," introduced in 1973 in Ghost Rider #1. Originally depicted as the literal son of Satan and a mortal woman (his father was later retconned to be the demon Marduk Kurios, rather than Satan himself), Daimon long battle the supernatural, and even ruled the dimension of Hell. His lesser-known sister in the comics is Satana. Between the changes to the names and backstory, Marvel and Hulu presumably hope to soften the property's edges for a wider audience.
Paul Zbyszewski (Lost, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) will serve as executive producer showrunner of Helstrom. Co-productions of Marvel Television and ABC Signature Studios, both series will be executive produced by Jeph Loeb.
Marvel regained the rights to Ghost Rider in 2013, after Columbia Pictures failed to move into development a sequel to Nicolas Cage's 2012 film Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. Although many fans expected a Ghost Rider reboot from Marvel, the character -- this time, Robbie Reyes instead of Johnny Blaze -- was introduced in 2016 on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., on which he played a prominent role.
Disney, which owned a 30 percent stake in Hulu, acquired another 30 percent in March with its acquisition of 21st Century Fox's key assets.