Marvel’s Helstrom: How Caretaker could lead to a Ghost Rider reboot in the MCU

The Caretaker will make an appearance in Marvel’s Helstrom but how will he bridge the gap for a Ghost Rider series within the MCU?

During Comic-Con@Home, Laura Pradom hosted a panel for Marvel’s Helstrom which featured showrunner Paul Zbysewski and the rest of the show’s cast.

During that panel, the first-look trailer for the show was aired – which the entire cast watched for the first time. Robert Wisdom, who plays the Caretaker, was among the cast at the panel and Zbysewski managed to shed some light on the similarities between Wisdom’s portrayal and the version in Marvel Comics.

With that in mind, allow this writer to explain how the Caretaker could potentially bridge the gap to a potential Ghost Rider reboot in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Who is this mystery Caretaker?

Not much is known about the Caretaker in the comics. His past, for the most part, is sketchy at best. We do not know his actual name or where he is from – only that he is part of a mystical organization dedicated to fighting evil known as The Blood. The Caretaker has been linked to two family lines that possess pieces of the Medallion of Power in their souls.

The first Caretaker, created by writer Howard Mackie and artist Andy Kubert, first appeared in Ghost Rider Vol.3 No.28. He is a six-foot tall senior Caucasian male with long white hair who weighs over 200 pounds (90 kg) and possesses superhuman strength, immunity to earth’s diseases and extended life-span – all of which possibly makes him immortal. He also has a granddaughter – the second Caretaker – named Sara.

Adventure into Fear and Ghost Rider

There was initially a planned media franchise entitled Adventure into Fear, which would have been a set of original Hulu limited series based on characters published by Marvel, produced by ABC Signature Studios and Marvel Television. Each of the shows, including Helstrom, would have been set within MCU continuity.

A Ghost Rider series starring Gabriel Luna (reprising his role as Robbie Reyes from Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD) was originally set to be part of this franchise, but it was eventually axed before Marvel TV folded into Marvel Studios. Though, according to a report a couple of months back, Ghost Rider may get another shot in the MCU. In what form, however, is as of yet undetermined.

Connection to the Spirit of Vengeance

In the comics, The Caretaker became involved with both Ghost Riders – Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch – who eventually met and befriended Doctor Strange. The Caretaker would regularly come across the Blaze and Ketch Ghost Riders in their path of enacting vengeance whenever innocent blood is spilled – an act that he taught Ketch, revealing that he did not have to wait until a crime is committed as he could prevent it.

Eventually, when a treacherous angel called Zadkiel sought to overthrow God and claim Heaven, the angel coerced Ketch to take out the Caretaker. Ketch with his old enemies; Blackout, Doghead and Death Ninja helped to eliminate the Caretaker. Despite going down without a fight, it was Ketch that ultimately struck him with a fatal blow. However, before the Caretaker passed on from Earth, he met his granddaughter, Sara, to pass on the mantle.

Marvel’s Helstrom and the Bridge to Ghost Rider

The MCU is continuing to change and Helstrom could play a major role in helping it do just that. Though it might struggle to attract a worldwide audience due to the fact that Hulu isn’t available in every territory (unlike competitors Netflix and Amazon), the storytelling potential is there because of the character’s comic book history with the Ghost Rider.

With the aforementioned rumor suggesting that a new iteration of Ghost Rider (in the form of a reboot) could be on the cards in Phase Four or possibly Phase Five of the MCU – a phase that the upcoming Blade reboot starring Mahershala Ali is expected to kick-start – the prospect of other supernatural-themed content is endless.

From a narrative sense, the introduction of The Caretaker in Helstrom could very well set up the introduction of the Ghost Rider in whatever form or incarnation of the character it may take. Not only does The Caretaker have great transmedia storytelling potential with the likes of Ghost Rider or the Helstroms, we could even see him interact with other mystical characters like Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch and the larger parts of the MCU and beyond if Marvel wanted to cross their big and small screen projects over.

This could make for the beginning of a new supernatural era for the MCU.

Do you think The Caretaker’s introduction in Marvel’s Helstrom could lead to the arrival of a new Ghost Rider? Let us know in the comments below!