I recently did a video looking at little known 1983 Italian sci-fi action film Endgame: Bronx Lotta Finale. The opening of Endgame ('83) may be very similar to author Stephen King's story published in '82.
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 Con. Director Shawn Levy & Writer Jonathan Tropper are confirmed on this, having just worked with Gosling on Star Wars: Starfighter, due out in 2027. In thinking about some past movies with possible future hints to this project, the '87 adaptation of The Running Man came to mind.
Actress Maria Conchita Alonso co-starred with Arnold Schwarzenegger in this. She was later in '89 comedy Vampire's Kiss with Nicolas Cage (whoa also played Marvel hero Ghost Rider in 2 films).
There may be a predictive reference connecting Star Wars & Ghost Rider in Endgame (1983). About 39 minutes in, we are introduced to hero, Ron Shannon's car. Protruding from the hood is a red dome, I thought similar to the 'head" of Star Wars droid R2-D2. Presumably, the iconic X-Wing fighter craft will be featured in the upcoming Starfighter film. If you know Star Wars, there is a compartment behind the pilot / cockpit in the X-Wing where the droids can ride.
The Running Man 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.
- Kotto can be linked to Cage through James Bond. He acted in Live & Let Die 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).
Other Observations:
- Franco Ukmar plays Stark in Endgame ('83) (Tony Stark is the real identity of comic book hero Iron Man)
- Endgame was also the title of the 4th Avengers movie, released in 2019.
- The Running Man was re-adapted in a 2025 film co-starring Lee Pace (villain Ronan in Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)). Josh Brolin played TV producer Dan Killian & was time traveling Marvel Mutant Cable in Deadpool 2 in 2018.
- I thought the facepaint & makeup around the eyes of the characters in Endgame ('83) may also be a future easter egg to Cable, who is depicted with a light emitting from his cybernetic eye.
Predictions:
- In another video I mentioned where Endgame actor Alberto Dell'Acqua (Gabe Mantrax) may resemble Robert Downey Jr. (Quite possible that Downey's Doom / Iron-Man or another character appears in a future movie with Gosling's Ghost Rider OR Downey has a role in a future Star Wars project)
