February
9 "Ghost Rider" screenings

The New York Post's Lou Lumenick wrote on his blog that Sony was not planning to show critics "Ghost Rider" in advance of its release. Seems that wasn't entirely correct, as the film has been shown to journalists, who also will get to see the pic at its New York premiere next week.

SuperheroHype has reviewed the pic and posted the following comments from director Mark Steven Johnson on its GR forum.

"Hey guys. Wow, so much speculation! It always amazes me how good news (like yesterday's review) just sits there while (incorrect) bad news spreads like wildfire! Here's the truth: The movie is being screened for the press tomorrow on the 8th as we have our junket on Thursday and Friday of this week. Then the movie is being screened for the CRITICS next Thursday morning so that their reviews can come out the following day, on Friday the 16th. The only critics we've missed are the advanced press/weeklies So there will be reviews on opening day! Sony is contacting the Post for a correction. Sometimes you have critic screenings a week in advance but we weren't ready for that (as I've said before, we took it down to the wire). Honestly, I don't care. But for the record, the only press to see the movie so far has been this site. And you can imagine the deluge of calls and e-mails I received from other sites yesterday! They were pissed that SHH got a first look!

MSJ"

A second post in that thread that purports to be from producers Gary Foster and Avi Arad says:

Hey guys,
Avi Arad and Gary Foster here.

We wanted to chime in on all this speculation. Here is the scoop:

We just completed a fantastic international tour where the film screened all around Europe.

Our junket begins tomorrow and 75 plus journalists are seeing the film.

Of course we screened it for Mirko and SHH. You saw the review.

Theater owners across the country saw it last week and were thrilled with the film and expect big attendance.

There are promotional screenings being held across the country next week.

Next week reviewers who haven't seen it will have the opportunity.

Don't worry. We can't wait for February 16th to roll around so that everyone can see our cool GHOST RIDER.

Avi and Gary

Since the Post item, the blogosphere has run rampant with the story and its implications for the film's quality. The original Post post has been edited. The original states (via a cached page on Google):

It wasn't totally surprising to learn today that Sony isn't planning to show critics "Ghost Rider,'' which opens a week from Friday. The latest Marvel Comics blockbuster starring Nicolas Cage, which carries a pricetag of $120 million, may well be the most expensive event movie movie to receive this treatment, which tends to embarass the talent involved.

It now reads:

Sony is dodging opening-day print reviews for "Ghost Rider,'' which opens a week from Friday. Critics are being invited to the premiere the night before the opening as well as a "courtesy'' screening on Friday, which means reviews will be buried in the Saturday papers.

The latter appears to be the most accurate, as everyone involved has carefully worded their responses to avoid having to answer the real question of whether critics have had their typical pre-release access to the film.