Ghost Rider: Pitching Marvel’s Next Halloween Special

Marvel’s Werewolf by Night has officially been on Disney+ for a week, earning the Kevin Feige-led outfit one its best-reviewed projects yet. The 53-minute one-shot is the first of a new “Special Presentation” format for Marvel Studios, taking properties that may not have the meat for a feature film or television series and crafting a specially-made story out of it anyway. Later this year, the production house will release its second in the format, the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.

With the attention Werewolf by Night was able to capture with fans, it’s hard to imagine Marvel Studios giving up on the new medium anytime soon. That’s why we’re suggesting they do an annual Halloween special, with the next character featured being one of the House of Ideas’ most popular horror characters: the Spirit of Vengeance. Buckle up fearless readers, as we pitch an idea of what a potential Ghost Rider Halloween special could look like

Escape From Hotel Inferno

One of the major keys to the success of Werewolf by Night was the restraint put on the special. It all took place at a single location with a simple premise, allowing the filmmakers to put their time and energy into developing the characters over the span of its featherweight runtime, rather than hopping around amidst various set pieces and an elaborate story.

As such, we’re suggesting a story where Ghost Rider would have to escape Hotel Inferno, the hotel run by Mephisto during the events of Doctor Strange: Damnation. We know there’s a good chance Mephisto’s actually on his way to the MCU, so that’s already one of the most major boxes checked off.

Picture this: Ghost Rider—whether it be Johnny Blaze, Robbie Reyes, or Danny Ketch—wakes up in a cold sweat. They don’t quite remember how they got to the hotel; the only thing they know is that they have to leave as soon as possible.

What happens next is something similar to a Hotel Artemis or John Wick scenario as Ghost Rider fights his way through the other vacationers at Hotel Inferno. Setting a special like this in a hotel helps Disney skirt away a visit to Hell, a move that will likely thrill the parents groups often boycotting films for one reason or another.

Best yet, it keeps the entire thing contained. Ghost Rider simply has to fight his way out, battling levels of demons through a single set piece. If you want to get fancy with it, have him go through all nine floors of the hotel in a direct nod to Dante’s Inferno. It’s where you could throw villains like Blackheart, Scarecrow, Doctor Druid, or Blackout in, each serving as a boss for one of the levels.

Again—a simple premise perfect for short special.

How to watch Werewolf by Night

Since Werewolf by Night didn’t receive a theatrical release, the “Special Presentation,” as Marvel Studios calls it, was lumped in with the rest of the television shows the outfit produced for Disney+. As such, Werewolf by Night is available to watch exclusively on Disney+ and nowhere else.