Shawn Levy's Ghost Rider Is Gaining Speed as He Trades Netflix for Disney

One of Hollywood's biggest director moves is taking shape. Shawn Levy is leaving Netflix for a new deal at Disney, according to Collider — and the same reports suggest his Ghost Rider reboot is gaining real momentum as a result.

Levy is coming off one of the hottest runs of any filmmaker working today. He directed Deadpool & Wolverine into box-office history, shepherded Free Guy and The Adam Project to streaming success, and remains one of the key creative forces behind Stranger Things. Now he is taking that momentum to the biggest studio in the business.

The Disney deal

Levy's departure from Netflix is a genuine power shift. He was one of the streamer's signature filmmakers — the kind of name Netflix built its film strategy around. His move to Disney puts him inside the studio that owns Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar, with access to the biggest franchises on the planet.

The implications are enormous. A director with Levy's commercial track record does not make this kind of move without a plan, and Disney does not sign a filmmaker like this one to make small movies. Whatever comes next, it will be big.

Ghost Rider's second life

That brings us to Ghost Rider. The flaming-skulled Spirit of Vengeance last hit the big screen in Nicolas Cage's Ghost Rider films — 2007's Ghost Rider and 2012's Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance — both made before Marvel regained full control of the character. A Marvel Studios version has been one of the most-requested reboots in the MCU's history.

Reports suggest Levy is working on exactly that: a Ghost Rider reboot that could finally bring Johnny Blaze — or one of the character's other incarnations — into the Marvel Cinematic Universe properly. Details remain under wraps, as they always do at this stage, but the pairing makes sense. Levy's signature blend of humor, heart, and blockbuster spectacle is a natural fit for a character built on demonic fire and motorcycle stunts.

What happens next

For now, everything is in the development phase. But the pieces are falling into place: a red-hot director, a fresh studio home, and one of Marvel's most visually striking characters waiting in the wings. Ghost Rider fans have waited long enough — and this might finally be the moment the engine starts.

The move also reshuffles the broader streaming landscape. Netflix has built its film brand on exactly these kinds of marquee directors, and losing one of its biggest names to Disney is a blow — as well as a signal that the old streaming wars playbook is still being rewritten. Directors now follow the projects, not the platforms.

Revisit the originals while you wait on our Ghost Rider page.