Will Nicolas Cage return for the upcoming sequel to 2007's Ghost Rider? Apparently, this is a question that he either cannot or is unwilling to answer.

Despite the film's somewhat lukewarm fan reception, the first Ghost Rider, in its box-office run, drew $115,802,596 million domestic with a $228,738,393 million worldwide total. Not too shabby and it certainly (as far as he books are concerned,) justifies a return for the sequel. Why, then, is Nicolas Cage uncertain about the film? The man currently has the I.R.S. up his *ss, and despite making an ungodly amount of money in a myriad of box-office mega hits, may end up broke! One would assume that the prospect of a sequel to one of his many blockbusters would be jumped at so quickly it would make Sony's head spin.

When asked about the status of the film by MTV, Cage replied:

“You probably know more about it then I do,” laughed the veteran actor when asked about the project. “What have you read?" Adding: “Yeah, well I don’t really know how to answer that because I don’t have all the details.”

The sequel was rumored to be based on a script by David Goyer, which would take place 8-10 years after 2007's Ghost Rider. It would unfold in such a way that the audience would not need to have seen the first film. In essence, it was thought to be a pseudo-reboot, where the actors and canon was maintained, but the storyline would be autonomous.

Cage's other comments were pretty much more assertions of his inability to discuss the film. While we can hardly take an actor's reluctance to discuss details of a future project as a sign that something is wrong, it could also be a sign that what we thought we knew was wrong.

It may be a case of Sony waiting for some traction on its Spider-Man 4 property before fully committing to this sequel. However, there certainly have to be doubts about whether Nicolas Cage may still be the right actor to front this franchise. If the numbers for the first film clued them into anything, it's that even a mediocre, "okay" at best Ghost Rider film can make a lot of money. Whether or not it was Cage himself that brought the audience, is the question. At this point, two years removed from the somewhat low-key first film, they have the luxury of considering the long-term investment of this franchise. This kind of thinking may entail going fresher or younger with the leading man.

Might this be the news on which Nicolas Cage is waiting? What is certain is the man is a certifiable box-office draw. For the most part, you can't go wrong with him. However, for a sequel confirmed to be in development, this kind of stonewalling on whether its star would return does seem a bit odd.

Would the upcoming Ghost Rider sequel be better served with Nicolas Cage or someone new?

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