Marvel Studios shook the Hall H auditorium at San Diego Comic-Con by officially announcing that Ryan Gosling will play Johnny Blaze in a solo Ghost Rider movie, scheduled for release in 2028. The panel, led by studio president Kevin Feige, put years of speculation about the star joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to rest, and also revealed news for Black Panther 3, introducing David Jonsson as the adult son of T'Challa.
Shawn Levy, who directed the hit Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), will helm the Ghost Rider film. The partnership between Levy and Gosling was solidified behind the scenes of Star Wars: Starfighter, a production set for May 2027 on which the duo worked together. Gosling, who took the stage wearing a red jacket matching the character's new logo, said playing the flaming-skulled anti-hero was a lifelong dream.
The Return of the Spirit of Vengeance and the Transition to the MCU
Ghost Rider returns to theaters after many years away from the big screen. Stunt performer Johnny Blaze made his film debut under Sony Pictures in Ghost Rider (2007) and its sequel Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2011), both starring Nicolas Cage. In the original comic book story created by Roy Thomas, Gary Friedrich, and Mike Ploog in 1972, Blaze makes a pact with the demon Mephisto to save his adoptive father from cancer, ending up fused with the Spirit of Vengeance Zarathos.
After the character's rights returned to Marvel Studios, an alternate version based on the young Latino Robbie Reyes was adapted in the fourth season of the series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2016-2017), played by Gabriel Luna. Since the canonicity of TV series from that period relative to the main MCU timeline remains uncertain, the 2028 film starring Ryan Gosling marks the official and definitive introduction of Ghost Rider into the integrated Marvel cinematic universe.
David Jonsson Takes Up the Mantle in Black Panther 3
In addition to the Gosling announcement, the panel brought news about the succession in Black Panther 3. Director Ryan Coogler took the stage alongside actors Letitia Wright (Shuri) and Winston Duke (M'Baku) to confirm the project's return and introduce actor David Jonsson (Alien: Romulus) as the adult version of T'Challa II.
The character first appeared as a child in the post-credits scene of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), where it was revealed he was being raised by Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o) in Haiti. The sequel will follow the young man's journey as he takes on his father's responsibilities, with a theatrical release date set for December 15, 2028.
Marvel's Planning for the Post-Secret Wars Era
The inclusion of Ghost Rider and Black Panther 3 in Marvel's strategic calendar positions both titles as the main bets to lead the franchise after the conclusion of the Multiverse Saga. The studio's current schedule reserves only two major releases for this year: Spider-Man: New Day (July 31) and Avengers: Doomsday (December 18). The culmination of this phase will occur with Avengers: Secret Wars, scheduled for December 17, 2027.