At Comic Con last month, directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor announced how they were eager to take ‘Ghost Rider’ and move him from the superhero genre into the horror one. Taylor explains, “He’s one of the most badass characters of all time. He’s not really a superhero. He’s more like a horror character. His superpower is that he sucks out your soul. That’s horrifying.”

Did they succeed in their goal? You can decide as the trailer for ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance’ just hit the internet today! The directors were on hand to introduce the trailer for the movie that is set to be released next year.

Here’s the official synopsis:

“Nicolas Cage returns as Johnny Blaze in Columbia Pictures’ and Hyde Park Entertainment’s Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. In the successor to the worldwide hit Ghost Rider, Johnny – still struggling with his curse as the devil’s bounty hunter – is hiding out in a remote part of Eastern Europe when he is recruited by a secret sect of the church to save a young boy (Fergus Riordan) from the devil (Ciaran Hinds). At first, Johnny is reluctant to embrace the power of the Ghost Rider, but it is the only way to protect the boy – and possibly rid himself of his curse forever.”

As an extra treat, we also have the first movie poster for the film! It doesn’t have Nicholas Cage on the front or his Ghost Rider counterpart, but it does have the fiery chains. You can click on the image for a larger view.

Neveldine and Taylor have been heard boasting that any injuries sustained on set will make it to the final cut and that “Any  broken bones you see in our movie will be real.” Looks like we’re in for a lot of action!

‘Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengence’ stars Nicholas Cage, Idris Elba (‘Prometheus), Christopher Lambert (‘Highlander’) and Ciaran Hinds as the Devil and is scheduled to open in theaters on February 17, 2012.