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Ryan Gosling officially cast as Ghost Rider in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Oscar nominated actor says Ghost Rider is a character he has wanted to play for a very long time as Marvel confirms the highly anticipated film will arrive in theaters in 2028
- PUBLISHED: Mon 27 Jul 2026, 11:37 AM
Marvel Studios has officially confirmed that Ryan Gosling will join the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Ghost Rider, making one of the biggest announcements at San Diego Comic Con 2026.
The reveal came during Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige's Hall H presentation, where Gosling appeared on stage to a standing ovation from thousands of excited fans.
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Gosling said playing Ghost Rider is something he has "wanted to play for a very long time," describing the opportunity as a dream come true.
Feige later revealed that bringing Ghost Rider to the MCU had been years in the making. He explained that both Marvel Studios and Gosling had publicly expressed interest in the project for some time, with Gosling frequently telling the press he wanted to play the character while Marvel openly said they hoped to cast him.
"We finally decided, let's stop talking to the press and actually meet," Feige said.
According to Feige, the pair had been meeting for several years before the project truly came together while Gosling was working on Star Wars Starfighter. During production, Gosling developed a vision for the version of Ghost Rider he wanted to bring to the screen and pitched the idea to director Shawn Levy.
Levy and Gosling then brought the project to Marvel Studios.
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"When a great, great, great, great actor and superstar and a great director who you were already trying to find another movie with come and say, 'We want this to be our next movie,' you go, 'That's awesome. Let's do it,'" Feige said.
The upcoming standalone Ghost Rider film is scheduled to arrive in theaters in 2028 and will be directed by Levy, who reunites with Gosling following their collaboration on Star Wars Starfighter.
While Marvel has not officially revealed which version of Ghost Rider the actor will portray, many believe he will play Johnny Blaze, the most iconic incarnation of the Spirit of Vengeance.
Ghost Rider has previously appeared in live action through Nicolas Cage's films and Robbie Reyes in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but this marks the character's official debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The announcement was one of the biggest moments of Marvel's Comic Con presentation and signals the studio's continued expansion into darker supernatural storytelling.
With Ryan Gosling leading the project, Ghost Rider is already shaping up to be one of Marvel's most anticipated releases ahead of its scheduled 2028 theatrical debut.
Mariam Alrashdi is a lifestyle and entertainment reporter at Khaleej Times, with a focus on local trends, Emirati culture, and the arts.