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From Hail Mary to Hell: Marvel Studios finds its Ghost Rider in Ryan Gosling
Barbie Oscar nom and Project Hail Mary frontman Gosling will bring the iconic, Hell-powered hero Johnny Blaze, AKA Ghost Rider, to not just the MCU, but theaters everywhere
Popverse's coverage of Comic-Con International: San Diego 2026 is brought to you by Dark Horse Comics.
Get ready to ride, Marvel fans - the MCU has a brand new Ghost Rider. Announced at San Diego Comic Con, Ryan Gosling is officially joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as that most Hellish of Heroes, Ghost Rider - AKA Johnny Blaze.
The announcement arrived during the (absolutely packed!) Hall H panel that Disney was presenting for Marvel Studios, and Gosling himself was there as part of the reveal. It was a pretty big shocker for everyone lucky enough to get into the room - ahead of his entrance onto the stage, there was no official word that Gosling was going to be a guest at Comic Con International this year. Also of note, the 2028 Ghost Rider film will be directed by Shawn Levy, director of Deadpool & Wolverine and of Gosling's upcoming Star Wars film, Starfighter.
As Marvel fans probably don't need to hear, Gosling won't be the first actor to portray the Faustian stunt-cyclist Blaze on the big screen: that was, of course, Nicolas Cage. That said, Gosling will be the person who introduces the role to the "Sacred Timeline" MCU, and perhaps more interestingly than that, will continue the trend of slowly building out Marvel's vision of Hell within that Universe.
As you know if you've kept up with the TV side of Marvel's offerings, we've already met the Devil that Blaze is likely to sell his soul to - that is, Sacha Baren Cohen's Mephisto, first introduced in the 2025 series Iron Heart. Keep in mind, though, that we're getting into speculation territory by pointing that out: as of this writing, there is no confirmation of Baron Cohen's (or even Mephisto's) involvement with the film.
Keep an eye on Popverse for more Marvel news out of San Diego Comic Con.
Consider this a meta post-credits scene for Marvel fans - the four key articles you need to read next to continue the thrills:
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