After years of fan speculation and persistent rumours, Marvel Studios has finally confirmed that Ryan Gosling is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Ghost Rider. The actor will don the iconic leather jacket and flaming skull as Johnny Blaze, taking over the role immortalised by Nicolas Cage. The casting announcement was made at the ongoing San Diego Comic-Con, sending fans into a frenzy.
Ryan Gosling joins MCU as Ghost Rider
The 45-year-old Oscar nominee was revealed as the next actor to play Ghost Rider during Marvel’s anticipated Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday. Marvel Studios exec Kevin Feige confirmed Ryan will essay the role in an upcoming standalone movie.
“As you know, this is a character I’ve wanted to play for a long time,” Ryan Gosling said onstage to the elated crowd in attendance.
The new Ghost Rider movie will be directed by Shawn Levy, who worked with Ryan on the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter, and famously directed the hit 2024 Marvel film Deadpool and Wolverine.
On stage, Ryan Gosling said that Shawn Levy convinced him to take the role when they were filming Star Wars: Starfighter together.
“I’m having the greatest flashback vibes here, because I was here two years ago when we showed Deadpool & Wolverine. I’ll never forget that night, because I was introduced to the greatest fans. Gosling is the absolute s**t. I say that with tremendous respect. We spent a lot of time last year making Starfighter, and the opportunity as Ryan started talking about this character, I was like, ‘Bro let’s ride.’ We’ll see you in 2028,” Shawn Levy said onstage alongside Ryan Gosling and Kevin Feige.
This marks Ryan Gosling’s first superhero or comic book movie. No release date has been set for Marvel’s new Ghost Rider movie.
About the film
Nicolas Cage first played motorcycle stuntman Johnny Blaze, aka Ghost Rider, in the 2007 film Ghost Rider. The movie served as the character’s origin story and co-starred Ryan Gosling’s longtime partner Eva Mendes as Roxanne Simpson. Nicolas Cage later reprised the role in the 2011 sequel, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, which didn’t see Eva Mendes return.
Johnny Blaze’s comic-book origin story has him selling his soul to the Devil to save his ailing father, who beats cancer only to die in a motorcycle crash. A side effect of that bargain involves his occasional transformation-by-hellfire into the character’s iconic guise as a biker with a flaming skull. The character also has super-strength, uses fiery chain whips, and can make people feel the emotional pain they have inflicted on others through the Penance Stare.