Marvel Studios officially announced that Ryan Gosling will star as Ghost Rider in a new Marvel film scheduled for 2028. The casting news broke at Comic-Con 2026 during the Marvel Studios Hall H presentation, marking the first time Gosling has taken a leading superhero role.
Gosling will play Johnny Blaze, the motorcycle stunt driver who becomes Ghost Rider — a supernatural character known for his demonic appearance and fiery skull. The character mythology centres on a spirit of vengeance protecting innocent souls, giving the film a darker, horror-adjacent tone that is rare in the current MCU slate. Director Shawn Levy, who collaborated with Gosling on Deadpool & Wolverine, will helm the project. The pair are also working together on the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter film, scheduled for May 28, 2027.
During the Comic-Con announcement, Gosling expressed genuine excitement. He responded: “Wow, is this really happening?” followed by: “As you know, this is a character I’ve wanted to play for a very long time.” His long-held interest in the role makes this casting personally meaningful, and industry observers expect that personal investment to show in his performance.
Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, confirmed the project during the Hall H panel. He had previously stated he would “love to find a place for Ghost Rider in the MCU,” suggesting years of planning led to this moment. The character last appeared on screen in 2007 when Nicolas Cage portrayed Ghost Rider. Notably, Cage’s co-star in that film was Eva Mendes — who is now Gosling’s wife — creating an unusual full-circle connection to the franchise.
The MCU has been embracing darker, more mature characters in recent projects. Ghost Rider fits squarely into that direction, with Johnny Blaze’s demonic powers and gritty moral code offering a contrast to the more polished heroes dominating the franchise’s earlier phases. The MCU also features a different Ghost Rider variant, Robbie Reyes, in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., raising questions about how multiple Ghost Riders might coexist in the universe going forward.
The 2028 release places the film in Marvel’s Phase 6 slate. With other former TV and street-level characters making their way into MCU films, Ghost Rider’s arrival signals a broader expansion of the supernatural side of Marvel’s cinematic universe. With Levy’s ability to balance action and character depth, and Gosling’s genuine enthusiasm for the role, expectations for this one are already running high.
