Watch: Nicolas Cage talks skulls, freedom of speech for ‘Ghost Rider’ sequel

SAN DIEGO – This weeks was far from the first time Nicolas Cage has been a presence at Comic-Con, but the actor feels like he’s keeping it fresh with the forthcoming “Ghost Rider” sequel “Spirit of Vengeance.”

“It is a new experience,” he told HitFix, comparing it to the first movie from 2007. “The first one… was a Grimm’s fairy tale of darkness. This one, we wanted to go all out, wanted to make it more of a nightmare.”

Cage credits some of the biggest changes to co-directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor. He said the former turned it into an “extreme sports filmmaking” experience, while the latter worked closely with the daring actor into doing more stunts and designing the Ghost Rider, moving beyond just portraying Johnny Blaze.

“This movie really goes into the world of imagination… that which is hidden,” Cage describes. “Other adventure films I’ve done are a little more straight-forward. I like to make movies that allow me to act outside of the box.”

“Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” will be out Feb. 17, 2012.

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