For as long as there have been superheroes, there have been superhero showdowns, instances where two normally good characters have a disagreement so severe that there is no recourse left but to settle things through good old fashioned fisticuffs. This year alone, audiences have already witnessed two instances of heroes fighting it out on-screen, those being DC’s Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Marvel’s Captain America: Civil War.
In the annals of superherodom, though, it’s hard to think of a pair more naturally suited to face off than Blade and Ghost Rider. One is a hard-edged half-vampire who’s made it his life’s mission to rid the world of as many bloodsuckers as possible. The other is a former stunt rider who finds himself carrying out infernal tasks for no less then the devil himself after foolishly entering into a Faustian bargain. Both generally operate on the outer edges of both the law and the Marvel universe, meting out justice from the shadows while more visible heroes like Iron Man and Captain America handle things in the light of day.
As one might imagine, many have wondered over the years what exactly would happen if the Daywalker and Satan’s favorite biker squared off in a battle for supernatural Marvel supremacy. Well, thanks to a new fan trailer by YouTube user Stryder HD, that dream is a bit closer to reality. Combining clips from the Wesley Snipes-fronted Blade series and the Nicolas Cage starring Ghost Rider movies, the trailer — entitled Blade V Ghost Rider: Dawn of Darkness — can be watched above.
Unlike the fights presented in many fan-made trailer mash-ups, Blade taking on Ghost Rider is actually not too hard to see happening one day, as Marvel Studios now owns the rights to both characters. Plus, Ghost Rider — albeit Robbie Reyes and not the more well-known Johnny Blaze — is soon to make his introduction into the MCU’s TV branch via a supporting role on ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., so he’ll soon be back at the forefront of the Marvel filmed world.
On the other hand, Blade seems to be in some kind of odd limbo at this point, with Snipes repeatedly expressing a desire to reprise the role and Marvel Studios’ interest remaining unclear. One assumes Blade will eventually be recast, but there’s no indication as to when that will actually happen, as Marvel also doesn’t seem to be in any real hurry to incorporate him into the MCU. In the meantime, fan trailers like these provide fans an opportunity to watch and wistfully imagine what a fully realized version would look like.
Ghost Rider can be seen in season 4 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on September 19, 2016 on ABC.
