Ghost Rider™

From Marvel Comics, creators of Spider-Man™, Fantastic Four, and X-Men, comes a new hero … Ghost Rider™. Watch as Melbourne and regional Victoria provide the backdrop for this big screen adaptation of the classic comic book.

Follow the story of superstar motorcycle stunt rider Johnny Blaze (Nicolas Cage) who makes a deal with the devil to protect the ones he loves most: his father and his childhood sweetheart, Roxanne (Eva Mendes). By day, Johnny is a die-hard stunt rider, but at night he becomes the Ghost Rider, a bounty hunter of rogue demons who is determined to use his powers to defend the innocent.

As he began plotting out the film’s overall look, production designer Kirk M. Petruccelli sought a production venue that could credibly stand in for the wide-open vistas of the American high desert, as well as the gritty side streets and glass-and-steel downtown of a contemporary western city. The clear choice was Melbourne.

Among the notable locations is Melbourne General Cemetery in Carlton with a spectacular collection of headstones that served as the eerie home of Caretaker. 'It was one of those rare, quite incredible locations,' says Petruccelli. 'We actually changed the storyline a little to adopt it.'

The team also used the Melbourne Showgrounds, where the old Victorian grandstand became the stadium for Johnny and Barton Blaze's motorcycle stunt act.

Producer Gary Foster says that it was Melbourne’s intriguing laneways that made it the perfect choice for Ghost Rider™. 'One of the reasons that we chose Melbourne was the city’s alleyways,' says Foster. 'They were great – exactly what we needed. As for Melbourne itself – the central business district worked really well for us in creating a large Texas city. There was a huge amount of variety in Melbourne that allowed us to really play with the various locations.'

Follow the Ghost Rider's trail:

Melbourne

Cemetery & Caretaker's Shack
Melbourne General Cemetery, Carlton

Alley #1
Hosier and Rutledge Lane, Melbourne

Dead End Alley
Jones Lane, Melbourne

Downtown GR chases Abigor
Spencer Street end of Bourke Street, Collins Street and Little Collins Street, Melbourne

Mackie Pursuit
Godfrey Street off Little Collins, Melbourne

Downtown Launch
Flinders Lane, Melbourne

Eyewitness News
ABC Studios, Gordon Street, Elsternwick

St Michael's Church
St Mary's Church, West Melbourne

Johnny's Loft & set build
Sutherland Street, Guilford Lane and McLean Alley

Michael's Restaurant
Ezards at Adelphi, 187 Flinders Lane, Melbourne