Ryan Gosling is slated to enter the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in 2028 as he transforms into the leather-clad, motorcycle-mounted, demonic superhero Ghost Rider, Marvel introduced on the San Diego Comic-Con Sunday.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige teased the announcement whereas on stage on the 2026 version of the comedian e book conference, telling followers, “We keep secrets to maintain surprises,” earlier than alluding to followers’ calls for for the introduction of the supernatural stunt motorcyclist to the MCU.
Feige then pounced on film critic Josh Horowitz within the viewers. Horowitz, contemporary from internet hosting a panel on the conference, grabbed a microphone and pleaded to know when audiences would lastly get to see Ryan Gosling as Ghost Rider — a dream casting talked about by Marvel followers for years.
Suddenly, the corridor was plunged into darkness. To a pounding bass soundtrack, the phrases “Ghost Rider” have been projected onto the display behind Feige, glowing blood purple.
When the lights got here again up, Gosling was on the stage.
“Wow,” Gosling stated, “Is this really happening?” he requested, amid raucous cheers from the group.
The Golden Globe winner enthused about how he’d wished to play Ghost Rider for “a very long time,” and regarded just one director match for the job — Shawn Levy, the director of Gosling’s upcoming film, “Star Wars: Starfighter.”
Levy then bounded onto the stage to greet Feige and Gosling, telling followers that the pair had “riffed” about Ghost Rider concepts whereas capturing “Star Wars: Starfighter” collectively final yr.
“And finally, I was like: Bro, let’s ride,” Levy added, to wild applause from the viewers.
Ghost Rider made his Marvel comedian e book debut in 1967 as the “world’s most mysterious Western hero” — the horse-riding alter ego of character Carter Slade.
But it was as the superhero id of the character Johnny Blaze, in Marvel Spotlight subject 5 in 1972, that Ghost Rider actually set followers’ hearts aflame. Blaze makes a pact with Satan to shield somebody he loves — however after dusk, his flesh is consumed by hellfire, and his head turns into a flaming cranium.
The comedian e book has been tailored for the silver display previously, with Nicolas Cage filling the biker boots of the titular character in 2007, alongside Gosling’s now-partner, Eva Mendes, and as soon as once more in 2011.