UPDATE: It’s official, Ryan Gosling has joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He will play Ghost Rider in a new standalone movie, directed by Shawn Levy, and set for 2028 release.
Gosling and Levy must have really hit it off on the set of “Star Wars: Starfighter,” which hits theaters next year. They have also brought along ‘Starfighter’ scribe Jonathan Tropper to write the ‘Ghost Rider’ screenplay.
EARLIER: For months now, Ryan Gosling has refused to shut down rumors that he’s attached to play Ghost Rider in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Turns out, an announcement might be coming soon—maybe even during tonight’s Marvel panel at San Diego Comic-Con. At least, that’s what DanielRPK is now reporting. We’ll see how it goes.
The Oscar-nominated actor has long expressed interest in playing the fiery antihero, and now it sounds like that dream could finally become reality. Gosling recently confirmed that discussions were very much “alive” and that he could one day saddle up as Johnny Blaze. During an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, host Josh Horowitz asked Gosling whether he’d met with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige about the potential role.
“Some discussions have been had,” he coyly responded. “It’s a complicated situation.”
Nicolas Cage previously played Blaze in the 2007 film as a motorcycle stuntman who sold his soul and was forced to hunt demons that had escaped from Hell. Cage returned for the botched 2011 sequel, “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance.” Coincidentally, Eva Mendes, Gosling’s partner, starred opposite Cage, which led Gosling to tell Horowitz, “I’m just happy one of us got to do it.”
When told in 2022 that Gosling wanted to take on the character, Feige said he’d “love to find a place for him in the MCU.”
Is this a good idea for Gosling? Entering the MCU? Really? He earned an Oscar nomination just two years ago for “Barbie,” and could very well receive another Best Actor nomination this year for “Project Hail Mary.” Sure, he loves the Ghost Rider character, but maybe this isn’t the right move. Marvel has become an unpredictable place for even the biggest stars, and committing to a major franchise could tie him down for years.
According to THR, Aaron Guzikowski, who wrote Denis Villeneuve’s “Prisoners,” has been hired to write a new “Alien” movie for 20th Century Studios, unrelated to ‘Romulus,’ but connected to Ridley Scott.