[Update: Check out New Pictures of Nic Cage riding his bike on set.]

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance has started production over in Romania, and today the first set images and an accompanying video have made their way online, landing over on the Marvel Movies Facebook page.

The videos show star Nic Cage on set, while the video shows a driving sequence (or test sequence) being filmed. Oh, there's also one important thing to note: the images also give us a first look at Johnny Blaze / Ghost Rider's new motorcycle!

For those who don't yet know, Ghost Rider 2 is supposedly set several years after the first film and finds Johnny Blaze in self-imposed exile (hence, Romania).  Blaze has become a tortured soul who is convinced that his powers are a curse. Blaze is soon approached by Moreau, a member of the monastic order of Michael, the warrior angel.  Moreau seeks a protector for a mother and son who are being pursued by a figure named Roarke, a villain who has detailed knowledge of the Ghost Rider's history.

The film is being helmed by Crank directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, and while I can't be certain, I believe you may spot quick glimpses of the pair in the video below:

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Now on to the images that were snapped of Cage on the Ghost Rider 2 set:

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It's no secret that I was NOT a fan of the first Ghost Rider movie. I thought the plot was lame, the characters were pretty much miscast and mishandled across the board (thinking of you, Blackheart), while Cage's take on the Johnny Blaze character totally missed the mark (jelly bean addict? Really?).  Needless to say, I'm expecting very, very, little from Spirit of Vengeance, and the fact that the film's budget was recently cut by nearly half, does little to persuade me.

Already I can tell you that if the motorcycle we see in the image is the one Blaze will be riding in the film, I'm already disappointed. While I realize full well that the bike could transform along with Blaze when he becomes Ghost Rider, Blaze himself is supposed to be a bike enthusiast and that motorcycle looks like a relic leftover from a Mad Max film. Life on the run probably doesn't offer a guy many frills - but come on, this is the movies! Give us a little bit of  the razzle-dazzle!

We'll surely see more images and videos coming out of Eastern Europe as Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance continues production. The film is slated to hit theaters (in 3D) on February 17, 2012.

Source: Marvel Movies Facebook Page

Update Source: Libertatea via Shocktilyoudrop