Ryan Gosling is officially riding into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. During Marvel Studios' Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, Kevin Feige confirmed that Gosling will star as Ghost Rider in a new standalone film, directed by Shawn Levy, set for release in 2028.
Gosling arrived onstage to the sound of a revving motorcycle before addressing the crowd: "Wow. Is this really happening? As you know, this is a character I've wanted to play for a very long time." He then told the audience only one director could bring the character to life, inviting Levy up to join him onstage.
This isn't a new interest for Gosling. The actor first spoke publicly about wanting to play Ghost Rider back in 2022, and Kevin Feige responded warmly to the idea at the time. As recently as this year, Gosling confirmed on a podcast that "some discussions" had taken place with Marvel, though he called the situation "complicated." Saturday's announcement put years of fan speculation to rest.
Gosling and Levy are already working together on "Star Wars: Starfighter," due in theaters May 2027, and Levy said the two spent much of their downtime on that set trading ideas for a Ghost Rider film before deciding to move forward together.
Marvel's Ghost Rider has appeared on screen before - Nicolas Cage played the character, Johnny Blaze, in two films released in 2007 and 2011. It remains unclear whether Gosling will play Blaze or a different version of the character from the comics, such as Danny Ketch. Regardless of which version reaches the screen, the character's arc has always centered on a man wrestling with a dark bargain in his past while trying to use his power for good - a redemption thread that's kept the character resonant with audiences for decades.
The casting adds to a big year for Gosling, who is coming off the box-office success of "Project Hail Mary" and is set to headline "Star Wars: Starfighter" next year, marking his full transition into franchise leading-man territory.
