Johnny Blaze, a famed motorcycle stunt rider, struck a deal long ago with the devilish figure Mephistopheles to protect his dying father from cancer. In return, Johnny agreed to become the devil's bounty hunter, a fate he tried to forget as he became a celebrity daredevil by day. The pact had a high cost: it estranged him from his true love, Roxanne. His past catches up to him when Mephistopheles comes calling to cash in on the bargain, offering to relinquish Johnny's obligation in exchange for one last job. As night falls, Johnny transforms into the Ghost Rider, the devil's flaming-skulled enforcer, charged with hunting down rogue demons that have escaped hell.

Assigned to track down and return the prodigal son of Mephistopheles, Blackheart, who plans to overthrow his father and create a new hell on earth by corrupting a thousand evil souls, Johnny finds himself battling dark forces beyond human comprehension. The same power that makes him feared by the dark spirits makes him a beacon of hope to some, suggesting that his curse may also be his salvation. As the Ghost Rider, Johnny relentlessly pursues Blackheart and his minions, using his hellish powers and the Penance Stare, which forces evildoers to experience all the pain they've inflicted on others, all the while striving to control his new fiery persona and reconnect with Roxanne, who re-enters his life as a tenacious reporter seeking the truth behind the Ghost Rider legend.