In a sign of the times, The Wrap are reporting that the co-financiers of Ghost Rider 2 (Sony and Hyde Park Entertainment) have allegedly stripped $60 million off the budget to this sequel to the 2007 Nicolas Cage-starring series.
Traditionally sequels receive a more sizable budget increase to that of the original (and Ghost Rider’s worldwide gross was $229 million against a budget of $110 million), but with Sony ploughing money into the Spider Man reboot, Men in Black 3 and David Fincher’s English language adaptation of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, they must be playing safe, financially.
Another money loser in this production (which is being directed by Crank’s Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor this time) is Cage, who is reportedly picking up a ‘paltry’ $7 million, compared to his $12 million fee from the first film.
Maybe Uncle Francis or Cousin Sofia will help him out with his next mortgage payment?
