Ryan Gosling will play supernatural horror hero Johnny Blaze, aka Ghost Rider, in a new big-screen incarnation of the Marvel character. Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy will helm the project.
Gosling and Levy are continuing their partnership after recently shooting Star Wars: Starfighter, which is due out next year.
Marvel Makes It Official at Comic-Con
The announcement sparked pandemonium Saturday during Marvel Studios’ Hall H presentation at San Diego Comic-Con. The studio plans to release the movie in 2028.
Rumors about Ghost Rider’s return and Gosling’s involvement had circulated for at least a year. Gosling’s appearance in Hall H finally made it official.
“As you know, this is a character I’ve wanted to play for a very long time. So, Kevin, Josh Horowitz, Hall H, thank you,” Gosling said.
Shawn Levy Joins Gosling for the Ride
Levy also took the Hall H stage to discuss the project. The director previously helmed Marvel’s hugely successful Deadpool & Wolverine.
He revealed that he and Gosling started talking about Ghost Rider while shooting Starfighter. Those conversations eventually grew into plans for the movie.
“Gosling is the absolute shit,” Levy said, adding, “I say that with tremendous respect.”
Levy said the two riffed about the character on set. After a while, he recalled thinking, “Bro, let’s ride.”
Ghost Rider’s Big-Screen History
Gosling will not be the first actor to bring Johnny Blaze to the screen. Nicolas Cage starred as Blaze in two Ghost Ridermovies released by Sony in 2007 and 2011.
Sony continues to hold the film rights to Spider-Man. Gabriel Luna later played Ghost Rider on television in Agents of SHIELD.
Writer Gary Friedrich and artist Mike Ploog created Johnny Blaze. The character first appeared in 1972’s Marvel Spotlight No. 5 before receiving his own series a year later.
Blaze is a stunt motorcycle driver whose deal with the devil bonds him with a demon named Zatharos. He becomes a flaming, skull-headed spirit of vengeance who rides a fiery motorcycle.
Several other characters have carried the Ghost Rider mantle over the decades, including Danny Ketch and Robbie Reyes. Still, Blaze has remained the character most closely identified with Ghost Rider for generations of comic book fans.
Gosling Enters the Superhero World
The movie will mark Gosling’s first superhero or comic book film. He was once considered for the role of Green Lantern in the late 2000s but never entered the genre.
In recent years, Gosling has shown a growing willingness to take on major studio blockbusters and franchise projects. This year, he toplined Project Hail Mary, and next year he stars in Star Wars: Starfighter.
Now he is preparing to add Marvel’s flaming spirit of vengeance to the list.
