Ryan Gosling to star as Ghost Rider in new Marvel film

Ryan Gosling will star as Ghost Rider in a new Marvel Cinematic Universe film directed by Shawn Levy, reports from San Diego Comic-Con confirmed on July 31, 2026.

The actor has long pursued the role and pitched his own conception of the character to Marvel president Kevin Feige, drawing on specific comic book runs.

In the character’s 1972 origin, Johnny Blaze sells his soul to Satan to save his adoptive father from cancer. The deal backfires: Blaze becomes bound to the demon Zarathos, gaining a flaming skull and riding a motorcycle that scales buildings and passes judgment on the wicked.

Gosling’s casting injects one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars into a franchise navigating an uncertain box office landscape. Marvel granted Gosling significant creative control, mirroring the successful approach taken with Ryan Reynolds on Deadpool & Wolverine and allowing him to redefine a character whose earlier film incarnations—starring Nicolas Cage in 2007 and 2012—were critically panned.

The studio, which no longer expects every release to top $1 billion, is betting on Gosling’s appeal with the lesser-known property. Spider-Man: Brand New Day, released in late July 2026, is expected to perform strongly.

Levy’s next film will be Ghost Rider, following his Deadpool work. No release date has been announced.