Kevin Feige Confirms Ryan Gosling Approached Marvel About Ghost Rider (With Specific Comics) [EXCLUSIVE]
A major Marvel hero that has been missing from the Marvel Cinematic Universe since its inception is the diabolical demon, Ghost Rider. The spirit of vengeance may have appeared on Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD, but a big-screen outing has simply never happened…that is, until now. As part of their San Diego Comic-Con Panel in Hall H, Marvel Studios not only confirmed a Ghost Rider movie is happening, but that Ryan Gosling will officially join the MCU playing the character. Having campaigned for the role, it wasn’t a total surprise, but still had fans stoked that it was finally happening.
After the Hall H panel, Comic Book had the chance to speak with Marvel President Kevin Feige about what was just announced, where we asked him which version of the character Gosling will be playing on the big screen: Johnny Blaze or Danny Ketch? Feige wouldn’t confirm that, but did reveal that, like Mahershala Ali before him, Ryan Gosling approached Marvel about playing the part, and he did it with specific comic books in mind.
Kevin Feige Confirms Ryan Gosling Approached Marvel About Ghost Rider
“I am going to let Ryan reveal what he wants to reveal, when he wants to reveal it, and what he wanted to reveal today is…he’s playing Ghost Rider,” Feige told us. “He is a huge fan of the comics; he did come to us particularly with a specific vision, based on some particular comics, but I’ll let him unveil that as he wants to.”
Gosling previously teased that “discussions had been had” about him joining the MCU, but failed to hint at what specific storylines might have stuck with him (which may have answered Feige’s deftful dodge above). That said, Gosling is the right age to have been reading Ghost Rider comics in the early ’90s at a time when the character was not only super popular but had multiple titles.
One of the most popular Ghost Rider comic books, though, which might lend some credence to big-time Marvel rumors, is, of course, “Rise of the Midnight Sons,” the crossover that gave way to the team-up between Doctor Strange, Blade, Morbius, both Ghost Riders, and the Darkhold Redeemers. Marvel fans have been eagerly waiting on baited breath for confirmation that this team-up might happen in the MCU, with the likes of Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight added to the team, too. It’s certainly possible that this storyline is one of the one’s Gosling was eager to adapt.
So far the only things we do know about Marvel’s Ghost Rider movie, include: Ryan Gosling will star (of course), Shawn Levy of Deadpool & Wolverine and Star Wars: Starfighter will direct, Jonathan Tropper of Star Wars: Starfighter and Your Friends & Neighbors is set to write the script, and it will be released in theaters in 2028.
