There are numerous reasons why “Superman Lives” was never produced, resulting in comic book enthusiast Nicolas Cage missing his initial opportunity to headline a superhero film. It took almost a decade for another opportunity to come his way, finally occurring with 2007’s “Ghost Rider.”

Displaying a gritty, intense atmosphere that aligned more with the “Blade” and “Punisher” movies than with “Spider-Man,” “X-Men,” or the soon-to-be-introduced Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Ghost Rider” attracted a specific segment of comic movie fans, culminating in an impressive $229 million global gross. At the time, that figure was considered remarkable for a comic book film’s earnings.

A follow-up, “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance,” was released four years later, featuring Cage returning as the cursed motorcycle stuntman Johnny Blaze, who morphs into the eponymous demonic biker. Many consider it among the worst Marvel films there are, while some argue it’s underrated. Nevertheless, it’s clear that Netflix audiences are currently gravitating towards “Spirit of Vengeance,” propelling it into the streaming platform’s top 10 most-watched movies.

One mind-blowing fact about “Spirit of Vengeance” is that it was greenlit even before the release of the first “Ghost Rider.” Sony had immense confidence in launching a successful franchise. However, this did not materialize, as “Spirit of Vengeance” earned only about half of what the original movie made at the box office. As of now, it’s not only the last “Ghost Rider” film but also the last instance where the character appeared in any live-action films. Sadly, plans for Cage to return to this role in “Deadpool and Wolverine” were scrapped.

Regarding whether the “Ghost Rider” films are worth watching today, opinions vary. Critics heavily criticized both movies—and, as pointed out, “Spirit of Vengeance” often appears on lists of the worst Marvel films—but they also possess their fervent supporters.

ScreenGeek describes “Spirit of Vengeance” as the superior entry, hailing it as “an energetically-crafted B-movie that serves as a wildly entertaining guilty pleasure.” Meanwhile, Spectrum Culture, in an article declaring “Spirit of Vengeance” as “criminally underrated,” compares it to other comic book films of that era, commenting that it “shows the filmmaking duo [of Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor] invigorating a genre that had already succumbed to bloat and monotony.”