Ryan Gosling officially joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Ghost Rider

He’s actually not just Ken. He’s also a Marvel superhero.

Actor Ryan Gosling was introduced on July 25 at San Diego Comic-Con as the star of Marvel’s upcoming film “Ghost Rider,” playing its titular character, according to a press release about the event.

The reveal by Marvel boss Kevin Feige prompted the audience to erupt into cheers, giving Gosling a standing ovation.

“Wow. Is this really happening?” Gosling said in front of the sea of excited fans.

Gosling’s character has been best identified in pop culture for using a fiery motorbike as his signature mode of transportation. Considered an anti-hero, Ghost Rider’s main ability is his “Penance Stare,” in which he locks eyes with his victims and forces them to relive the consequences of their actions in the name of justice.

Writer and MTV News correspondent Josh Horowitz teed up the introduction by asking Feige a not-so-subtle question about Gosling.

This news set our hearts ablaze. ❤️‍🔥 Ryan Gosling was officially announced as Johnny Blaze, aka Ghost Rider, at Marvel’s Comic-Con panel. #SDCC2026 pic.twitter.com/N8AkLD8lO0

— E! News (@enews) July 26, 2026

“I feel like the fans really want to see Ryan Gosling as Ghost Rider. I just feel like I’ve seen all the fan art over the years, and I’ve been talking to you about it. I’ve been talking to Ryan,” Horowitz said during the Marvel Studios presentation at the San Diego Convention Center’s Hall H.

Horowitz continued: “Then I remember that time just a few years back — it was actually during Comic Con — I asked you about it. I asked you about the rumors, and it was so weird. The lights went out in the room.”

Feige cheekily responded to Horowitz, saying that “just because the lights go out does not mean it’s a sign.”

Of course, the lights in the room did exactly that before Gosling walked onto center stage.

“This is a character I’ve wanted to play for a very long time,” Gosling told the crowd. “So, Kevin, Josh Horowitz, Hall H — Thank you.”

“Deadpool & Wolverine” director Shawn Levy — whom Gosling worked with for the upcoming “Star Wars: Starfighter” film — will helm the movie, according to a press release about the panel. And Jonathan Tropper, who’s also on the “Star Wars” film, is writing the script, the release said. The movie is slated to hit theaters in 2028.

Speaking to press following the event, Feige said that Gosling was actually the one who pitched the concept.

“The truth is, Ryan talked to Sean about it. Ryan had an idea, had a vision, pitched it to Sean. Sean loved it,” Feige told Rotten Tomatoes of Gosling and Levy. “They came in and pitched it to us, and we loved it.”

The announcement follows years of chatter around Gosling’s potential involvement in the MCU. While on Horowitz’s podcast “Happy, Sad, Confused,” Gosling hinted at the Ghost Rider role.

“Some discussions have been had,” Gosling said in the March episode. “It’s a complicated situation.” 

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

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