Marvel Studios has officially confirmed that Ryan Gosling will play Ghost Rider, ending years of speculation following his repeated expressions of interest in the role. The announcement was made by studio chief Kevin Feige at San Diego Comic-Con, with Shawn Levy, director of Deadpool & Wolverine, attached to helm the standalone film, which is scheduled for release in 2028.

Gosling first voiced his desire to play the supernatural hero back in 2022 and confirmed earlier this year that talks with Marvel were under way. The character previously appeared in two live-action films from Columbia Pictures, 2007's Ghost Rider and its 2012 sequel, both starring Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze, before the rights returned to Marvel in 2013; a different version, Robbie Reyes, later featured in Agents of SHIELD, played by Gabriel Luna. This will mark the character's first cinematic outing developed by Marvel Studios itself since regaining the rights, more than 50 years after Ghost Rider's 1972 debut in Marvel Comics.