Actor Ryan Gosling was announced to play Marvel comic book hero Ghost Rider in a 2028 movie at this past weekend's San Diego Comic Convention. In thinking about some past movies with possible future hints to this project, 1987 sci-fi action thriller, The Running Man came to mind. I did some other videos on this film showing developments around the near present, earlier this year. It was re-adapted in 2025 starring Glen Powell & Lee Pace. Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in the original, both based on the story by horror author Stephen King.
- Maria Conchita Alonso & Yaphet Kotto play runners locked into the future dystopian gladiatorial game show.
- Alonso may be a major clue to Ghost Rider, she co-starred with Nicolas Cage in 1989 comedy, Vampire's Kiss. Cage later played Johnny Blaze / Ghost Rider in movies, the first, in 2007 & sequel Spirit Of Vengeance in 2011.
- Kotto can be linked to Cage through James Bond. He acted in Live & Let Dier in 1973 with Roger Moore. Cage & Bond actor Sean Connery appeared in 1996 action thriller The Rock.
- In the '87 version of Running Man the stalker character Buzzsaw may be a future clue to Ghost Rider, he also rides a motorcycle.
- Michael Cera of the Running Man (2025) cast worked with Ryan Gosling in Barbie (2023).
