A well place source is indicating that the IGN script review linked below IS NOT the particular screenplay they're utilizing for the new movie. For whatever that's worth...
David Goyer talked about his new GHOST RIDER movie with MTV.
"It's not exactly a reboot," said Goyer, who's currently hard at work on his "FlashForward" television series. "I hate to say it's more realistic, because he's got a flaming skull for a head, but it's a bit more stripped down and darker. It's definitely changing tone. What 'Casino Royale' was to the Bond movies, hopefully this will be to 'Ghost Rider.'" [EDIT]
"This story picks up eight years after the first film," said Goyer. "You don't have to have seen the first film. It doesn't contradict anything that happened in the first film, but we're pretending that our audience hasn't seen the first film. It's as if you took that same character where things ended in the first film and then picked it up eight years later—he's just in a much darker, existential place."
As for where that existential place might be, Goyer wouldn't delve into specifics—mainly because he doesn't have to.
"My script is out there on the Internet," he said. "We're not changing much from it. It'll be significantly the same script."
"My script is out there on the Internet," he said. "We're not changing much from it." With this gauntlet thrown, I searched The Net and was, of course, unable to locate Goyer's screenplay.
However, I did find a DETAILED/SPOILERISH nine year old review of the same over at IGN. A plot synopsis of the project reads thusly:
This script is set in Anne Rice country, New Orleans and the backwaters of Louisiana. The very confusing and hackneyed plot to Ghost Rider is as follows. As an infant, Johnny Blaze was branded during an occult ceremony with the sign of the Spirit of Vengeance. This spirit is the eternal foe of the demon Zarathos. Johnny's mark means he will someday serve as the human host for the Spirit of Vengeance when he walks the earth; the spirit's corporeal form, or as corporeal as it can be, is called The Ghost Rider. (In the old days, the Ghost Rider rode horses but now he prefers motorcycles; there is no explanation given for why he is so particular about modes of transportation. Why not cars or skateboards?) Having grown up in state orphanages, 25-year old Johnny Blaze is now a stunt biker with the circus. He is madly in love with fellow cyclist Roxanne Simpson but their relationship is cut short when they're attacked by a band of ugly, violent bikers. (Is there ever any other kind in a movie?)
Turns out these bikers, led by Skinner, are members of the Hidden, humans of demon ancestry. (Thousands of years ago, Zarathos impregnated a hundred women so there are now thousands of his unknowing descendants roaming the earth.) The Hidden are preparing the way for Zarathos' return to earth during the impending "Perfect Eclipse" (small craft advisory; sorry, did anyone get that?). This cosmic event happens only once every ten thousand years so Zarathos can't afford any mistakes. Skinner will serve as his host body while on earth. But acting as the demon's chief assistant on earth is the sorcerer Devereux (presumably Voight) who has been granted near immortality by Zarathos. Honestly, I don't know why Zarathos really needed him. Couldn't Skinner serve just as well? And since Devereux is not a member of The Hidden doesn't his importance to Zarathos undercut the necessity of using The Hidden?
Naturally, the only being who can possibly stop Zarathos is, no, not God, but the Spirit of Vengeance. Possessed now by the Spirit, Johnny Blaze becomes The Ghost Rider (but only at night). When Skinner and his bikers attack Johnny and Roxanne, she is kidnapped and imprisoned within Zarathos' netherworld. Johnny, ever the reluctant hero, is torn between rescuing Roxanne from Zarathos and serving The Ghost Rider. If Johnny kills Zarathos, he will lose Roxanne forever. In either case, a showdown between The Ghost Rider and Zarathos is now inevitable. Along the way, Johnny receives help from Seer, an alluring soothsayer he knew from the circus. Seer has secrets of her own and is, luckily enough, an expert demon tracker. She has knowledge of The Hidden and is also an ally of the Caretaker, yet another circus acquaintance of Johnny's with a dark past.
The Ghost Rider's literal path of destruction has the Louisiana police stymied. Surely, there must be explanations for these odd events other than the supernatural. Lt. Mike Badalino, however, is not so sure. Soon, Badalino is pursuing the now wanted Johnny Blaze across the state. Badalino strongly reminded me of the Ernie Hudson cop character from The Crow, right down to his teaming-up with the title character in time for the end battle. There are also elements of The Terminator here as well, with the local cops shocked by the walking force of destruction that has invaded their turf. (With his leather outfit, motorcycle, shotgun, and darkly comic dialogue, Ghost Rider came across like a supernatural Terminator.) The story ends with Zarathos' resurrection in, of all places, an old distillery. (Why do all villains hang out in factories or warehouses? Doesn't anyone just own a condo?) The Ghost Rider and Zarathos face off while Seer battles Devereux. The very last scene is an all too obvious set-up for a sequel.
