Marvel Studios saved one of its biggest surprises for the end of its Hall H presentation Saturday, officially confirming that Ryan Gosling will bring Ghost Rider to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The reveal ended years of speculation surrounding Gosling’s involvement with Marvel, as Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige welcomed the Oscar-nominated actor to the stage alongside director Shawn Levy, confirming the pair will reunite following their work on the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter.
Levy, who directed Deadpool & Wolverine, will helm the supernatural superhero film from a screenplay by longtime collaborator Jonathan Tropper.
“I’ll never forget being in Hall H two years ago for Deadpool & Wolverine,” Levy told the Comic-Con crowd. “Ryan is the absolute s***… As Ryan started talking about this character, I said, ‘Bro, let’s ride.'”
The untitled film is slated for a 2028 theatrical release, marking Ghost Rider’s long-awaited arrival as a central figure in the MCU.
For Marvel fans, the announcement has been years in the making. Gosling has repeatedly expressed interest in portraying the Spirit of Vengeance, revealing earlier this year that he and Marvel had held “some discussions” about the role. During a March interview, the actor joked that while his longtime partner Eva Mendes appeared opposite Nicolas Cage in 2007’s Ghost Rider, he was “just happy one of us got to do it.”
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Feige had also fueled speculation in previous years, publicly saying he would “love” to find a place for Gosling in the MCU.
The character’s return has been one of Marvel’s most anticipated introductions since the studio regained full control of the property. Nicolas Cage famously portrayed motorcycle stuntman Johnny Blaze in 2007’s Ghost Rider and 2011’s Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. While neither film found lasting critical success, the flaming-skull antihero remained a fan favorite, with Gabriel Luna’s Robbie Reyes later introducing another incarnation of Ghost Rider in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Marvel has yet to confirm which version of Ghost Rider Gosling will portray, though the Hall H presentation heavily referenced Johnny Blaze’s comic book origins as a stunt rider who sells his soul and becomes the Spirit of Vengeance.
The announcement also signals Marvel’s continued embrace of darker supernatural characters following recent additions like Werewolf by Night and Agatha All Along, potentially laying further groundwork for a supernatural corner of the MCU that fans have hoped would eventually include Midnight Sons.
No story details or additional casting were announced.
But judging by the sustained ovation inside Hall H, Marvel may have found exactly the actor fans have envisioned behind the flaming skull for years.
