Ryan Gosling
Ryan Gosling

Ryan Gosling is finally becoming a superhero.

Marvel Studios announced Saturday during its Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con that Gosling will star as Ghost Rider in a new standalone film, ending years of speculation about whether the Oscar-nominated actor would ever join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film, currently titled simply "Ghost Rider," is set for release in 2028 and will be directed by Shawn Levy, who most recently helmed the blockbuster "Deadpool & Wolverine."

A long-rumored pairing becomes official

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige made the announcement onstage, joking that he has fielded questions for years about when Gosling and Ghost Rider might finally end up together. He then welcomed Gosling to the stage to enthusiastic cheers from the Hall H crowd. Taking in the moment, Gosling addressed the audience directly. "Wow, is this really happening?" Gosling said, adding that the fiery, motorcycle-riding antihero is a character he has wanted to play for a long time.

Gosling then introduced Levy as the film's director, telling the crowd that only one filmmaker could bring the character to the screen properly. The two are already working together on the upcoming "Star Wars: Starfighter," which Levy directed and which stars Gosling, set for release May 28, 2027. According to Levy, the idea for the Ghost Rider collaboration took shape during downtime on that set, where the two spent hours trading ideas about the character. Describing the moment their partnership came together, Levy recalled telling Gosling, "I was like, 'Bro, let's ride.'"

Feige weighs in on Starfighter

Feige used the panel to offer a preview of what audiences can expect from Gosling's work in "Starfighter" as well, revealing that he has already seen the film ahead of its 2027 release. "I don't want to brag, but I've been lucky enough to see Star Wars: Starfighter," Feige told the crowd, praising Gosling's performance and saying the film brings a fresh energy to the Star Wars franchise. His comments suggested that Gosling's chemistry with Levy on that project played a role in the decision to bring the actor into the Marvel fold for Ghost Rider.

Years of speculation finally pay off

Gosling first publicly expressed interest in playing Ghost Rider back in 2022, floating the idea while promoting other projects and shutting down separate rumors that Marvel was courting him for the cosmic hero Nova. At the time, Feige responded warmly to the idea when asked about it on a Comic-Con red carpet, praising Gosling's talent and saying he'd love to find a role for him within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. More recently, while promoting his film "Project Hail Mary," Gosling confirmed that conversations with Marvel about the role had already begun, though he described the situation as complicated at the time. "We'll keep hope alive," Gosling said then, signaling his continued interest even as details remained unresolved.

A character with a long comic and screen history

Ghost Rider, created by writer Gary Friedrich and artist Mike Ploog, first appeared in Marvel Spotlight No. 5 in 1972 before receiving his own ongoing series the following year. In the comics, stunt motorcyclist Johnny Blaze makes a pact with a demonic entity, becoming bonded with a fiery, vengeance-driven spirit that transforms him into the character's signature skull-headed, flame-engulfed form whenever he confronts evil.

Gosling will be the second actor to portray the character in a feature film, following Nicolas Cage's performances in Sony's 2007 "Ghost Rider" and its 2011 sequel, "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance," which together grossed more than $361 million worldwide. The character has also appeared on television, with actor Gabriel Luna playing a different incarnation of Ghost Rider, Robbie Reyes, in the Marvel-ABC series "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." A planned standalone Hulu series built around Luna's version of the character was scrapped in 2019. Rights to Ghost Rider eventually reverted to Marvel Studios, paving the way for Saturday's announcement.

Gosling's evolving blockbuster era

The Ghost Rider role marks Gosling's first superhero or comic book film, adding to a recent stretch of high-profile franchise and blockbuster work following his roles in "Barbie" and this year's "Project Hail Mary." Notably, Gosling had once been in contention for the role of Green Lantern in a DC film years earlier, a role that ultimately went to Ryan Reynolds. His casting as Ghost Rider closes the loop on that earlier chapter of superhero speculation surrounding the actor.

There's also a personal connection tied to the announcement: Cage's original "Ghost Rider" film co-starred actress Eva Mendes, Gosling's longtime partner and the mother of his two children. Speaking about the family tie in an earlier interview discussing the role, Gosling joked that he was glad at least one of them had gotten the chance to play the character.

With production timelines still to be determined, Marvel has not yet released plot details for the new "Ghost Rider" film, nor confirmed how the character might connect to the broader Marvel Cinematic Universe moving forward. Levy's involvement, fresh off the box office success of "Deadpool & Wolverine," adds significant momentum to the project, as does the pairing with screenwriter Jonathan Tropper, who is reuniting with Levy and Gosling after collaborating with them on "Starfighter."

For now, fans will have to wait until 2028 to see Gosling's take on the character in theaters, but Saturday's Comic-Con announcement — complete with enthusiastic crowd reaction and confirmation from Marvel's official social media accounts — closes the book on years of will-he-won't-he speculation about one of the more anticipated casting rumors in recent Marvel history.

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