Submachine gun

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The Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun is widely used by law enforcement, tactical teams and military forces.

A submachine gun (SMG) is a firearm that combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol, and is usually between the two in weight and size. An assault rifle, in contrast, uses an intermediate-power cartridge with more power than a pistol but less than a standard rifle or battle rifle.

Contents [hide] 1 History 1.1 19th century to 1920 1.2 1920 to 1950 1.3 1950 to present 2 Legal ownership by civilians 2.1 United States 2.2 Czech Republic 2.3 Switzerland 2.4 Finland 2.5 Pakistan 3 See also 4 References 5 External links

[edit] History

In the early 20th century, experiments were made by converting stocked pistols from semi to fully automatic. Stocked automatic weapons firing pistol rounds were developed around the same time during World War I, by Italy, Germany, and the United States. The first dedicated designs were developed in the latter stages of World War I both as improvements on earlier stocked pistols, and to offer an advantage in trench warfare.

They were popularized in the 1920s and '30s as weapon of choice of American gangsters and police, in the form of the famous Thompson submachine gun, commonly referred to as the "Tommy Gun". Submachine guns rose to prominence as a frontline close-quarters combat weapon and commando firearm during World War II. They are now widely used by police^[1] SWAT, military commando, paramilitary, and counter-terror team members for a variety of situations.

[edit] 19th century to 1920

Replica Thompson 1928A1 with box-type magazine.

The first automatic weapon to fire a pistol round was a scaled-down version of the Maxim machine gun, used for demonstrations in marketing the Maxim in the late 19th century, especially when a full-sized firing range was not available. First-generation submachine guns were characterized by machined metal parts, blowback designs with the bolt directly behind the barrel. The submachine gun appeared during the later stages of World War I. It first saw action in trench warfare where grenades, pistols, sharpened entrenching tools, improvised clubs, and bayonets were commonly employed.

The Italians developed the Villar Perosa, introducing it in 1915. It is considered to be the first submachine gun, as it fired a pistol round (the 9 mm Glisenti). Originally developed as an aircraft weapon, it also saw some use by infantry as a light machine gun. This odd design was eventually modified to become a traditional submachine gun,the OVP 1918 that evolved into the Beretta 1918 after the end of WW1 .

However, the Bergmann MP18 is the first true submachine gun and has been used intensively starting with Operation Michael in March 1918.

The Thompson submachine gun program began in roughly the same period. The various dates and achievements of the first generation submachine guns creates a contentious area for firearms historians, with conclusions much to do with their nationality and interpretations. The only pictures of SMGs used in combat and reports of captured SMGs refer to MP 18 captured in France after the German Spring Offensive.

The Beretta 1918 had a traditional wooden stock, a 25-round box magazine, and had a cyclic rate of fire of 900 rounds per minute. The Germans had been using heavier versions of P08 pistols, equipped with larger capacity "snail" drum magazine, and longer barrel; these were semi-automatic. Bergmann, by 1918 had developed the MP18. The MP18 used 9x19mm Parabellum round in a snail-drum magazine. The MP18 was used in significant numbers by the German stormtroopers which, in conjunction with appropriate tactics, achieved some notable successes in the final year of the war. However, they were not enough to prevent Germany's collapse in November 1918.

The Thompson submachine guns had been in development at approximately the same time as the Bergman and Beretta, but development was put on hold in 1917, when the US and the weapon's designer (Thompson) entered the war. The design was completed afterwards and used a different internal system from the MP18 or Beretta, but it had missed its chance to be the first purpose-designed submachine gun to enter service. It would however go on to serve as the basis for later weapons and have the longest active service life of the three.

[edit] 1920 to 1950

In the inter-war years the submachine gun became notorious as a gangster weapon; the iconic image of pinstripe-suited James Cagney types wielding drum-magazine Thompsons caused some military planners to shun the weapon. It was also used by the police, but many criminals favored the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle. The submachine gun was nevertheless gradually accepted by many militaries, with many countries developing their own designs over the period, especially in the 1930s.

In the USSR, the PPD34 and PPD34/38 were developed. In France the STA 1922 was adopted as MAS 1924 and evolved into MAS-35 later adopted as MAS-38 using the 7.65mm Long round of the Pistol PA 35, a cartridge derived from the .30 Pedersen. In Germany some improvements on the MP18 were employed, namely the MP28/II and the MP34. Also, Nazi Germany adopted the MP38, unique in that it used no wood and a folding metal stock, though it used similar amount of stampings as the MAS. Italy further developed a number of its own designs (see list of Italian submachine guns), with similar attempts at improvements in lower production cost, quality, or weight.

The MP40 9 mm submachine gun with stock extended.

During the invasion of Poland by Nazi Germany in 1939, the MP38 production was still just starting and only a few thousand were in service, but it proved very popular especially in towns and cities. It was far more practical and effective in those environments than the standard-issue German rifle, the Kar 98K. From it, the nearly identical, but safer and cheaper to make, MP40 was developed; about a million MP40s were made in World War II. The MP40's design used even more stampings, and less strategically-important metals such as aluminum, but still managed to be lighter because it avoided some of the heavier machined parts of the MP38.

Britain adopted the Lanchester submachine gun, based on the MP28/II. However the high cost of manufacture and low rate of production led to the much simpler, cheaper and faster to make Sten submachine gun. The Sten gun was so cheap to make that near the end of World War II, Nazi Germany started manufacturing their own copy of the design (the MP 3008). Britain also used many M1928 Thompsons early on (the inter-war period version with a drum magazine), and also many of the improved version M1 (the one seen only with a stick magazine). After the war, the Sten would be replaced by the Sterling submachine gun.

America and its allies used the Thompson submachine gun, especially the simplified M1 version that was not machined to accept the drum magazine. Because the Thompson was still expensive to produce, the M3 "Grease Gun" was adopted in 1942, followed by the slightly improved M3A1 in 1944. The M3 was not necessarily more effective, but was made with cheap stamped metal, making it much more affordable. It could be configured to fire either .45 ACP ammunition, which the Thompson and M1911 pistol also fired, or the 9 mm Parabellum, widely used by Allies and Axis. It would be among the longest serving of the submachine guns designed during the war, being produced into the 1960s and serving in US forces officially into the 1980s.

Finland had developed the M/31 Suomi before the Winter War in which it saw much use. The weapon fired 9 mm Parabellum rounds from a drum magazine with the capacity of 70 (although often loaded with up to 74). Although America used stick magazines in the Thompson, and Russians carried only a few drum magazines (usually one drum, if any, and remaining ammunition as stick magazines), the Suomi was mostly deployed with drums. They were also less prone to jamming than the stick or "casket" magazines developed for the weapon. The weapon was used until the end of Lapland war, and in peacetime service, to the early 1990s.

By the end of World War II, the USSR had fielded the largest number of submachine guns, such as the PPSh-41, with whole infantry battalions being armed with little else. Even in the hands of conscripted soldiers with minimal training, the volume of fire produced by massed submachine guns could be overwhelming in an urban environment. The German forces formed similar troops of their own in response to this. Key realizations made during World War II, notably the fact that most small-arms engagements occurred within 100 yards (90 meters), and that a high rate of fire was generally more effective than the slower but more accurate fire, (such as provided by bolt-action and semi-automatic rifles) were some of the key causes for the development of the assault rifle.

[edit] 1950 to present

Submachine guns lend themselves to moderation with suppressors, particularly so in cases where the weapon is loaded with subsonic ammunition. Variants of the Sten and modern-day Heckler & Koch MP5 have been manufactured with integral suppressors, and such weapons are on occasion used by special forces and police units. After the Korean War, the role of submachine guns in military applications was gradually diminished. Both submachine guns and battle rifles were supplanted by the new assault rifles, such as the CAR-15 and Heckler & Koch HK53. Submachine guns are used by special forces and counter-terrorist units operating in urban environments or cramped interior areas, and as defense weapons for air crews, armored vehicle crews, and naval personnel. Though submachine guns still have a strong hold on niche users, due to their advantage in compact size, they are facing competition from carbines and shortened assault rifles. The dominance of submachine guns in law enforcement tactical operations has been diminished by new developments since the 1990s. Factors such as the wide availability of assault rifles and carbines and the increasing use of body armor have combined to limit the appeal of submachine guns to government agencies. Assault rifles and carbines have been supplementing submachine guns in some roles. However, assault rifles are not a complete replacement, since they are generally heavier, have greater muzzle blast, more recoil, and may be likely to overpenetrate due to their use of rifle rounds.

Also touted as a successor to the submachine gun is the personal defense weapon (PDW), a machine pistol-like weapon which fires armor-piercing pistol cartridges. The PDW is similar in operation to submachine guns and is often considered as such. However, the PDW's specialized ammunition is incompatible with common pistol and rifle rounds, and it is less effective than rifle rounds against unarmored targets.^{[citation needed]} The trend in modern submachine guns had been toward lighter, smaller weapons utilizing plastics to a greater degree.

[edit] Legal ownership by civilians

Private ownership of submachine guns is illegal in most nations, but there are a few notable exceptions, including the following:

[edit] United States

Civilian ownership of submachine guns is regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives under the provisions of the National Firearms Act of 1934 as amended by Title II of the Gun Control Act of 1968. In addition, the Firearms Owners' Protection Act of 1986 outlawed the manufacture of submachine guns for the civilian market and currently limits legal ownership to units produced and properly registered with the BATFE before May 1986. Some states enforce their own laws regulating or forbidding civilian possession of submachine guns. Civilians may purchase semi-automatic versions of such firearms without requiring NFA clearance, although some states (including California and New Jersey) enforce their own restrictions on such weapons.

[edit] Czech Republic

Civilian ownership of submachine guns is regulated by the Ministry of the Interior, which classifies such weapons as Category A (Restricted Firearms and Accessories) under the provisions of Act 119 of 2002.^[2] In addition to a valid gun license, the prospective civilian owner must obtain a Category A Exemption from a local police agency and demonstrate the reason for owning a submachine gun, e.g. a legitimate firearms collection.

[edit] Switzerland

Submachine guns may only be owned by licensed collectors, but cannot be fired in full-automatic mode. Civilians may purchase semi-automatic versions of such firearms.

[edit] Finland

The Firearms Act of 1998 (amended in 2001) outlawed possession of submachine guns by the general public, although licensed collectors in good standing can obtain permits for older submachine guns from the Gaming and Weapons Administration. Police must verify that the collector is able to store the gun securely to discourage theft.^[3]

[edit] Pakistan

Civilian gun licenses in Pakistan vary considerably in terms of region and class of firearm. Local police agencies can issue permits for submachine guns that are only legal in the state in which they are issued, although a license issued by the Prime Minister will allow the gun in question to be transported anywhere in the country. There are complaints that the licensing process has become too politicized.^[4]

Gost

Ghost Rider (film)

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Ghost Rider
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Mark Steven Johnson
Produced by	Avi Arad Stan Lee David S. Goyer Michael DeLuca Gary Foster
Written by	Mark Steven Johnson
Narrated by	Sam Elliott
Starring	Nicolas Cage Eva Mendes Wes Bentley Sam Elliott Donal Logue Matt Long Peter Fonda
Music by	Christopher Young
Cinematography	Russell Boyd
Editing by	Richard Francis-Bruce
Studio	Columbia Pictures Crystal Sky Pictures Relativity Media Marvel Enterprises Vengeance Productions Pty. Ltd. GH One Michael De Luca Productions
Distributed by	Sony Pictures Entertainment
Release date(s)	February 16, 2007
Running time	Theatrical Cut: 114 minutes Extended Cut: 123 minutes
Country	United States Australia
Language	English
Budget	$110 million
Gross revenue	$228,738,393

Ghost Rider is a 2007 superhero film written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson. Based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, the film stars Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze, a stunt motorcyclist who morphs into the demon vigilante Ghost Rider.

Contents [hide] 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 3.1 Character portrayal 3.2 Music 4 Release 4.1 Promotion 4.2 Reception 5 Sequel 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Plot

In the American Old West, Mephistopheles (Peter Fonda) sends his bounty hunter of the damned, the Ghost Rider, to retrieve a contract for a thousand corrupt souls from the town of San Venganza. Because such a large amount of souls would cause Hell on Earth, the Rider refuses to give the contract and escapes Mephistopheles, later to hide the contract and himself.

A century and a half later, Mephistopheles reaches out to seventeen-year-old stunt motorcycle rider Johnny Blaze (Matt Long/Nicolas Cage), offering to cure his father's lung cancer in exchange for Johnny's soul. Johnny inadvertently 'signs' the contract when a drop of his blood lands on it after it was pricked by Mephistopheles before Johnny could refuse. The next morning Johnny awakes to discover that his father's cancer is cured, but his father dies that same day in a motorcycle crash. Johnny accuses Mephistopheles of causing his father's death, but Mephistopheles considers their contract fulfilled. Years later, Johnny has become a stunt rider famous for surviving disastrous feats.

Before a particularly dangerous new stunt, Johnny meets his childhood sweetheart Roxanne (Raquel Alessi/Eva Mendes), now a journalist, and makes a dinner date with her that evening. During the same time, Blackheart (Wes Bentley), Mephistopheles' son, comes to Earth to find the lost contract and use its power to overcome his father. To ensure himself allies, he enlists the fallen angels known as the Hidden, a trio of demon spirits who represent three of the four elements — the water-demon Wallow (Daniel Frederiksen), the earth-demon Gressil (Laurence Breuls), and the air-demon Abigor (Mathew Wilkinson). In response, Mephistopheles makes Johnny the new Ghost Rider, offering Johnny his soul in return for defeating Blackheart. While in Ghost Rider form, his head is a skull with fire round it, and his motorcycle is transformed into a fire-emitting shape fuelled not by earthly gasoline but by hellfire, going far faster than any natural motorcycle, and never crashing: in one shot a policeman's handheld radar speed gun aimed at him reads 198 mph and still increasing; where it goes, it leaves a burnt trail of damage in the road; it can go up and down vertical sides of buildings, and on and under water; it can come back to him on command; when day comes, it and he revert to their natural forms. Mephistopheles also gives Johnny the 'Penance Stare', an ability to sear the pain felt by all whom a person has harmed into the wrongdoer's soul.

Johnny rides away; his passage burns the road and makes nearby windows blow out. Police chase him, but he is too fast, and he and his motorcycle are bulletproof in that form. Johnny goes to where the contract was once buried, but the area has been built over and the graves have been moved. He confronts Blackheart at a railroad station on the site and kills Gressil while the others escape. On his way out of the station he uses his Penance Stare on a mugger, leaving the man catatonic; the mugger's victim gets away.

The next day, Johnny wakes in a cemetery chapel, where he meets a man called the Caretaker (Sam Elliott), who seems to know all the history of the Ghost Rider. When he arrives home, Johnny finds Roxanne and tries to explain his situation, but she doesn't believe him. The police arrive and take Johnny into custody for his connection to the damage done to the city and the deaths caused by Blackheart. He transforms into Ghost Rider in the cell and escapes to track down Blackheart. He fights and kills Abigor, in full view of Roxanne and much of the police force. Observing the scene after obtaining the location of the contract, Blackheart realizes that Roxanne is Johnny's weakness.

Johnny goes for advice to the Caretaker, who tells him of his predecessor, Carter Slade, a Texas Ranger known as a man of honor before his greed became a reason for him to be sentenced to death. Slade made a deal with Mephistopheles to break free; in return, Slade became the Ghost Rider who hid the contract of San Venganza. The Caretaker then warns Johnny to stay away from those whom Blackheart and the fallen angels can use against him. Johnny then returns home to find that Blackheart already has Roxanne. During their resulting fight, Johnny finds that his Penance Stare has no effect on Blackheart, who has no (human) soul. Blackheart threatens to kill Roxanne if Johnny does not deliver the contract to him.

Johnny returns to the Caretaker to obtain the contract. Johnny guesses that the contract is buried in one of the graves. He picks up a shovel and starts to dig. The Caretakes snatches the shovel and breaks it, revealing the contract hidden in its hollow handle. Though reminded of the consequences, Johnny asks the Caretaker to trust him. The Caretaker then reveals that he is Carter Slade, having held on to his last bit of power in expectation of this moment. He speculates that Johnny has God on his side because he made his deal with Mephistopheles because of love rather than greed or desperation, and shows Johnny the way to San Venganza. They ride together into the desert, both in Ghost Rider form; Slade is riding a supernatural horse which can keep up with Johnny's motorcycle. They stop a short distance from the town, where Slade gives Johnny his pump-action shotgun and the warning to "stick to the shadows" before fading away.

After killing Wallow, Johnny gives the contract to Blackheart. He quickly transforms into Ghost Rider in an effort to subdue Blackheart, but dawn comes and he is rendered powerless, but his power returns when he crawls into dark shadows. Blackheart uses the contract to absorb the thousand souls into his body, taking the name "Legion". He attempts to kill Johnny, but is distracted when Roxanne uses Johnny's shotgun (which Johnny discarded when it went empty) to separate them. After she fails to destroy Legion, Johnny takes the gun and moves into shadows. This allows him to transform to Ghost Rider form; the shotgun transforms into a supernatural weapon which blasts hellfire (perhaps an ability given to it when Slade was made into a Ghost Rider), and Johnny uses it to blast Legion apart. Legion re-forms, but Johnny moves in and uses his Penance Stare, made effective by the thousand souls inhabiting Legion's body, to render him catatonic. Johnny turns away from Roxanne, ashamed of his monstrous appearance; but she approaches him.

Mephistopheles appears and gives Johnny his soul, offering to terminate the burden of Ghost Rider. Johnny refuses, saying that he will use his power against Mephistopheles, against all harm that comes to the innocent and avenge for his father. Infuriated of being robbed of the power, Mephistopheles vows to make Johnny pay, to which Johnny in response recites his favorite saying: "You can't live in fear". Mephistopheles then disappears, and Blackheart's body dissipates with him. As Roxanne strokes Johnny's bare skull, he reverts to human form and the flesh and skin and hair of his head reappears. Johnny and Roxanne share words and a kiss at a tree marked to symbolize their relationship, whereupon Johnny rides into the sunset. Slade's voice then acts as narrator to close the film.

[edit] Cast

Actor	Role
Nicolas Cage	Johnny Blaze / Ghost Rider
Eva Mendes	Roxanne Simpson
Brett Cullen	Barton Blaze
Wes Bentley	Blackheart / Legion
Sam Elliott	Carter Slade / Phantom Rider
Peter Fonda	Mephistopheles
Donal Logue	Mack
Matt Long	Young Johnny Blaze
Raquel Alessi	Young Roxanne Simpson
Daniel Frederiksen	Wallow
Laurence Breuls	Gressil
Mathew Wilkinson	Abigor

[edit] Production

In May 2000 at the Cannes Film Festival, Marvel Comics announced an agreement with Crystal Sky Entertainment to film Ghost Rider with actor Jon Voight attached as a producer. Production was scheduled to start in early 2001 with a budget of $75 million, with actor Johnny Depp expressing interest in the lead role.^[1]

In July 2000 Stax of IGN reviewed a draft script for Ghost Rider written by David Goyer. The script version is set in Louisiana. Stax felt that the revision was convoluted; he suggested that Goyer rewrite the plot and develop the characters.^[2]

The following August, Dimension Films joined Crystal Sky to co-finance the film, which would be written by David S. Goyer and directed by Stephen Norrington.^[3] In June 2001, actor Nicolas Cage entered talks to be cast into the lead role for Ghost Rider,^[4] and by July, had closed a deal with the studio. According to producer Steven Paul, Cage had found out about Depp being a possibility for the role and contacted the director to express his own interest, being an avid Ghost Rider fan.^[5]

In the following August, Norrington abandoned the project due to a scheduling conflict, leaving to film the action flick Tick Tock starring Jennifer Lopez.^[6] Cage eventually left the project as well. By May 2002, the studio Columbia Pictures sought to acquire rights to the film in turnaround from Dimension Films following the success of Spider-Man.^[7] In April 2003, under Columbia Pictures, director Mark Steven Johnson took over the helm for Ghost Rider with Cage returning for the lead role. Both had been drawn by a script written by screenwriter Shane Salerno. Johnson, rewriting Salerno's script, was set to begin production of Ghost Rider in late 2003 or early 2004.^[8] With production delayed into October 2003, Cage took a temporary leave of absence to film The Weather Man. Ghost Rider production was slated to tentatively begin in May or June 2004.^[9]

Ghost Rider had again been delayed to begin in late 2004, but the lack of a workable script continued to delay production.^[10] In January 2005, actor Wes Bentley was cast as the villain Blackheart, having been introduced to Johnson by Colin Farrell, who had worked with the director in Daredevil.^[11] Actress Eva Mendes was also cast opposite Cage as Roxanne Simpson.^[12] On February 14, 2005, Ghost Rider commenced filming in Australia at the Melbourne Docklands film studios.^[13] Then in March 2005, actor Peter Fonda (who starred in Easy Rider) was cast as the villain Mephistopheles.^[14] Johnson originally planned to film before an audience at the Telstra Dome, but instead opted to create a crowd using computer-generated imagery.^[15] The director also chose to film in the motorcycle district of Melbourne.^[16] By June 2005, principal photography had been completed for Ghost Rider,^[17] which was set for a summer 2006 release.^[18] In April 2006, the cast and crew performed last-minute reshoots in Vancouver.^[19] Ghost Rider was originally scheduled to release on August 4, 2006,^[20] but the date was moved three weeks earlier to July 14, 2006.^[21] Sony changed the film's release date once more to February 16, 2007 to help relieve the studio's crowded 2006 calendar.^[22]

[edit] Character portrayal

Ghost Rider's motorcycle, in its supernatural transformed shape.

Instead of a "hard drinking and smoking bad ass" Johnny Blaze, Nicolas Cage decided to give him more depth. "I'm playing him more as someone who... made this deal and he's trying to avoid confronting it, anything he can do to keep it away from him". Cage also explained that Blaze's stunt riding was a form of escape and a way to keep him connected to his deceased father, who taught him to ride. Cage rode a Buell motorcycle for Blaze's stunt cycle, and a heavily customized hardtail chopper named "Grace" which transforms into the "Hell Cycle".^[23] The Hell Cycle's wheels, made of pure flames in the comics, were changed to be solid tires covered in flames in order to give the motorcycle more weight onscreen.^[24]

Ghost Rider's skull flames were designed to become smaller and blue to display any emotion other than rage.^[24] The film's visual effects supervisor, Kevin Mack, and the visual effects team at Sony Pictures Imageworks handled the difficult task of creating computer-generated fire on a shot-by-shot basis.^[25] Ghost Rider's voice was manipulated by sound designer Dane Davis, who won an Academy Award for Sound Editing for The Matrix. Davis filtered Cage's line readings through three different kinds of animal growls that were played backwards and covered separate frequencies. Davis then amplified the dialogue through a mechanical volumizer. Director Johnson described the sound as a "deep, demonic, mechanical lion's roar".^[26]

[edit] Music

Ghost Rider Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Film score by Christopher Young
Released	February 13, 2007
Recorded	2006
Genre	Orchestral Film score
Length	55:96
Label	Varèse Sarabande
Christopher Young chronology
The Grudge 2 (2006) Ghost Rider (2007) Spider-Man 3 (2007)

In December 2005, musical composer Christopher Young was announced to score Ghost Rider. In addition, Spiderbait, a band that Johnson befriended during filming in Australia,^[25] performed a cover of "Ghost Riders in the Sky" for the end credits.^[27]

All songs written and composed by Christopher Young.

#	Title	Length
1.	"Ghost Rider"	3:16
2.	"Blackheart Beat"	3:06
3.	"Artistry in Death"	4:13
4.	"A Thing for Karen Carpenter"	2:01
5.	"Cemetery Dance"	5:31
6.	"More Sinister Than Popcorn"	5:40
7.	"No Way to Wisdom"	2:15
8.	"Chain Chariot"	6:18
9.	"Santa Sardonicus"	3:36
10.	"Penance Stare"	5:26
11.	"San Venganza"	3:22
12.	"Blood Signature"	2:08
13.	"Serenade to a Daredevil's Devil"	1:53
14.	"Nebuchadnezzar Phase"	5:52
15.	"The West Was Built on Legends"	3:59
55:96

[edit] Release

[edit] Promotion

In May 2005, Sony Pictures launched the official website for Ghost Rider.^[28]

The following July, the studio presented a Ghost Rider panel at Comic-Con International and screened a teaser for the audience.^[24] The teaser, which did not have finalized footage of the film, eventually leaked online.^[29] In the same month, Majesco Entertainment Company announced its deal with Marvel to acquire worldwide rights to produce the video game Ghost Rider for the PS2, PSP, and Game Boy Advance consoles.^[30]

In December 2005, the studio presented a first glimpse of Ghost Rider in a ten-second footage piece on the official site.^[31]

In April 2006, Sideshow Collectibles announced the sale of a Ghost Rider maquette based on the concept art of the film.^[32]

The following May, domestic and international teaser trailers for Ghost Rider were launched at Apple.^[33]

The Ghost Rider was also featured in a commercial for Jackson Hewitt Tax Services in which the character presented his income tax forms to a clerk for processing to receive a quick refund check.

On April 19, 2007, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment confirmed that in America the film will be issued on June 12, 2007 as a single-disc Theatrical Cut DVD, two-disc Extended Cut DVD, Blu-ray Disc, and UMD. Special features on the Extended Cut DVD include two commentary tracks, a comic book history feature, and a making of the film featurette.^[34]

Extended Cut version was also release on HD DVD in France on September 7, 2007.

[edit] Reception

Ghost Rider was commercially released in the United States on February 16, 2007. The film grossed $15,420,123 on its opening day,^[35] while earning $45,388,836 for its opening weekend. The film earned $52,022,908 over the four-day President's Day weekend, with a per-theater average of $14,374 in 3,619 theaters.^[36] The film's total earnings were $115,802,596 domestically, and a worldwide total of $228,738,393.^[37]

Ghost Rider received generally poor reviews from film critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, Ghost Rider has a 27% overall approval out of 122 reviews from critics.^[38] The results were mirrored in Metacritic reviews as well, displaying a ranking of 35 out of 100 based on 20 critical reviews.^[39] Additionally, Michael Ordoña of the Los Angeles Times^[40] and Jeannette Catsoulis of the New York Times^[41] expressed disappointment in the movie, with Ordoña citing the "satanic references" and "judgemental" elements of Cage's character, and Catsoulis denoting how Johnny Blaze is "more funny than frightening". Although Eric Alt of the Chicago Tribune praises the computer-generated effects of the film, he also criticizes it, calling it a "clumsy, lifeless outing".^[42]

[edit] Sequel

On February 9, 2007, Marvel producer Avi Arad announced the development of Ghost Rider 2 at a press event.^[43] Peter Fonda has also expressed a desire to return as Mephistopheles.^[44] In early December, 2007, Nicolas Cage also has expressed interest to return in the lead role as Ghost Rider.^[45] Shortly after, in another interview he went on further to mention that he would enjoy seeing a darker story, adding, "He's not eating jelly beans anymore; he's getting drunk". He also suggested that the film could do with newly created villains.^[46]

In a September 2008 interview, Nicolas Cage informed IGN that Columbia have taken meetings to start a sequel^[47]. Cage noted conversations about the story, where Ghost Rider may end up in Europe on behalf of the church, having story elements "very much in the zeitgeist, like Da Vinci Code."^[48] In February 2009, an online source stated Columbia Pictures had greenlit a sequel to Ghost Rider. Nicolas Cage will reprise the lead role, whilst the studio are in search of writers.^[49] On September 23, 2009, it was reported that David S. Goyer signed on to write the script for the sequel^[50]. Goyer spoke to MTV about the sequel, stating that the story will pick up eight years after the the events of the first film and that he hopes to start filming by 2010^[51].^[52]

[edit] References

1. ^ Michael Sangiacomo (2000-05-25). "More Marvel heroes to join X-Men on film over next few years". The Star-Ledger.
2. ^ Stax. "The Stax Report: Script Review of Ghost Rider." IGN. July 6, 2000. Retrieved on April 4, 2009.
3. ^ Michael Fleming (2000-08-30). "'Ghost' adds a Dimension". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117785776.html?categoryid=13&cs=1. Retrieved 2006-12-22.
4. ^ "Cage considers 'Ghost Rider' role". Erie Times-News. 2001-06-28.
5. ^ Julia Brinksneader (2001-07-31). "Another 'ER' casualty". The Columbus Dispatch.
6. ^ James Berkshire (2001-08-20). "Cage GHOST RIDER Burning Out?". Cinescape.
7. ^ "`Ghost Rider' could follow Spidey film". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 2002-05-24.
8. ^ Dana Harris (2003-04-08). "Johnson sees 'Ghost'". Variety. http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=story&articleid=VR1117884327&categoryid=13&cs=1. Retrieved 2006-12-22.
9. ^ "When May Ghost Rider Start Shooting?". SuperHeroHype.com. 2003-10-19. http://www.superherohype.com/news/ghostridernews.php?id=287. Retrieved 2006-12-22.
10. ^ Angela Dawson (2004-11-18). "Nicolas Cage likes to hunt for treasure". The Cincinnati Post.
11. ^ Michael Fleming; Nicole Laporte (2005-01-20). "Bentley to haunt 'Ghost'". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117916685.html?categoryid=1238&cs=1. Retrieved 2006-12-22.
12. ^ Pamela McClintock (2005-03-01). "Marvel to prime pupils". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117918741.html?categoryid=1350&cs=1. Retrieved 2006-12-22.
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50. ^ David Goyer's Shocking 'Ghost Rider 2' News
51. ^ http://splashpage.mtv.com/2009/11/04/exclusive-david-goyer-says-ghost-rider-2-isnt-a-reboot-takes-place-eight-years-later/
52. ^ David Goyer Talks Ghost Rider 2