Ryan Gosling Officially Joins the MCU as Ghost Rider
The 2026 San Diego Comic-Con witnessed a massive surprise during the Marvel Studios Hall H panel as Ryan Gosling officially confirmed his entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The 45-year-old actor is set to headline a reboot of the Ghost Rider franchise, scheduled for a 2028 release. He will be working alongside director Shawn Levy, with whom he previously collaborated on the upcoming project Star Wars: Starfighter.
Gosling has long expressed his passion for the character. In a 2022 appearance on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast, he revealed that he had been in discussions with Marvel Studios about portraying the iconic antihero. During the panel, he reiterated his enthusiasm, stating, «a character I’ve wanted to play for a long time.»
Director Shawn Levy was equally enthusiastic about the casting, telling the crowd that the upcoming film would be well worth the wait. It is worth noting that the Ghost Rider mantle holds historical significance, having originated in Marvel Comics in 1972 with Johnny Blaze, who famously traded his soul to the demon Mephisto.
David Jonsson to Lead Black Panther III
Acclaimed director Ryan Coogler graced the Hall H stage to confirm his return to the helm for the third installment of the Black Panther series. Alongside Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige, Coogler introduced David Jonsson as the new lead actor for the project.
Jonsson is widely expected to step into the role of T’Challa II, the son of the late Chadwick Boseman’s iconic character, a role first teased in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Expressing his gratitude for the opportunity, Jonsson remarked:
«I don’t want to say too much because I want to let the screen do the talking, but believe me, the honor is entirely mine.»
New Insights into Avengers: Doomsday
The presentation also provided updates on the highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday. Casting confirmations revealed that Hayley Atwell will return as Peggy Carter, starring alongside Chris Evans’ Steve Rogers. Additionally, Ryan Reynolds made a brief, humorous appearance as a version of Deadpool, playfully requesting a cameo in the film.
Attendees were treated to an exclusive look at new footage featuring Robert Downey Jr. as Dr. Doom. The clips depicted a complex portrayal of the villain in Latveria. As Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby) described him, he is a man who was once caring but became fundamentally broken after losing everything he loved. The footage highlighted a tense confrontation between Doom and Earth’s heroes, with the villain even deploying Sentinels from the X-Men universe to challenge the Avengers.
Avengers: Doomsday is slated for a theatrical release on December 18, 2026, paving the way for Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027.