Nicolas Cage: Ghost Rider inspired by Goethe

(Cover) - EN Movies - Nicolas Cage says his Ghost Rider character was inspired by literary legend Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

The actor explained why the story of John Blaze stands out in a movie market oversaturated with mythical hero figures.

In Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance the Hollywood star reprised his role as the motorcycle stuntman who has sold his soul to the devil.

The story bears resemblance to Goethe’s most famous work Faust: The First Part Of The Tragedy, which sees the lead character making a deal with the devil.

“You’re right to say it’s a crowded market — every other movie is about a comic-book character and you need to provide an alternative. Ghost Rider does that,” Cage told Shortlist. “There’s no other superhero like Ghost Rider. He’s the only one I know of that was inspired by Goethe, by which I mean he sold his soul to the devil in a 1,000-year contract.”

Nicolas also explained what fascinated him about the role of John Blaze.

He said that he found the combination of an essentially good character using dark forces to combat evil intriguing.

“He was interesting to me from being a small child, because I couldn’t get my head around how someone that looked so scary and was using the forces of evil could also be good. He’s interested in philosophical questions. That’s what makes him so different,” he said.

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