A new Ghost Rider just rode into town.
Ryan Gosling will play supernatural horror hero Johnny Blaze, aka Ghost Rider, in a new big-screen incarnation of the Marvel character that will be directed by Deadpool & Wolverine‘s Shawn Levy. Gosling and Levy are keeping the good time going after shooting Star Wars: Starfighter, due out next year.
The announcement was met with pandamonium when it was made Saturday during Marvel Studio’s Hall H presentation at San Diego Comic-Con.
The plan is for the movie to open in 2028. A return for Ghost Rider and Gosling’s involvement had been whispered for at least a year but the actor’s appearance in Hall H made it real.
In recent weeks, journalist Josh Horowitz teased Marvel boss Kevin Feige at the Spider-Man: Brand New Day junket, asking why Gosling wasn’t yet Ghost Rider. In a full circle moment, Horowitz participated in a comic bit during the panel, asking Feige from the crowd about Gosling. Feige responded by bringing Gosilng out.
“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,” said Gosling.
Levy, who helmed Marvel’s super successful Deadpool & Wolverine, was also brought on stage and said that he and Gosling had been talking about Ghost Rider while shooting Starfighter.
“Gosling is the absolute shit,” he said, adding, “I say that with tremendous respect.”
Levy said they riffed on set — and after a while, he “was, like, ‘Bro, let’s ride.’”
Nicolas Cage starred as Blaze in two Ghost Rider movies released in 2007 and 2011 by Sony, which continues to have the film rights to Spider-Man. Gabriel Luna played Ghost Rider in TV’s Agents of SHIELD.
The character of Blaze was created by writer Gary Friedrich and artist Mike Ploog and first appeared in 1972’s Marvel Spotlight No. 5. A year later, the character received his own series. Readers were captivated by Blaze, a stunt motorcycle driver who, in a deal made with the devil, is bonded with a demon named Zatharos. He becomes a flaming skull-headed, fiery motorcycle-riding spirit of vengeance.
Decades later, several other characters held the mantle of Ghost Rider, Danny Ketch and Donnie Reyes among them, but Blaze has always kept the fire burning in comics fans’ hearts.
This is the first superhero or comic book movie outing for Gosling, who was once up for the part of Green Lantern in the late aughts. In recent years, the actor has shown a willingness to take on big studio blockbusters or franchise plays. This year he toplined Project Hail Mary and next year stars in Star Wars: Starfighter.
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