At this July's San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios announced that Ryan Gosling will headline a new Ghost Rider movie set for release in 2028.
Nicolas Cage originally played Johnny Blaze in 2007's Ghost Rider, and later reprised the role in 2012's Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. Neither movie received a hugely enthusiastic response, and Marvel Studios quietly reclaimed the rights shortly after the sequel's release.
While Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. introduced Robbie Reyes as Ghost Rider in Season 4, that proved relatively short-lived, and the character was subsequently shelved. Concept art revealed that Cage was considered for a cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine, but for whatever reason, it didn't happen.
Talking to The Hollywood Reporter on the red carpet of his new movie Madden, Cage broke his silence on Gosling picking up where he left off. "Ryan’s going to do his thing with it, and I’m looking forward to seeing it," the actor said. "Ryan knows how I feel about him as an actor; we’ve had nice conversations, and we stay in touch."
"I was happy for him and wished him the best of luck on his adventures," Cage continued, "and I look forward to seeing the movie."
Gosling's wife, Eva Mendes, starred alongside Cage in the original 2007 movie, so there's an interesting bit of connective tissue there. While it's possible that Cage could be convinced to show up as his Johnny Variant in Avengers: Secret Wars, current rumours actually point to Gosling being in the movie.
Plot details for the reboot are scarce, though there has been some chatter about it pulling inspiration from Ben Percy's recent Ghost Rider run. Sacha Baron Cohen is also expected to reprise his Ironheart role as Mephisto.
Marvel Studios casting director Sarah Finn has shared her excitement to see Gosling take on the role of Johnny Blaze in the MCU, saying, "He's the perfect choice, first of all, because he's really passionate about playing the role, and that's something that matters; that passionate actors bring to these characters the love for the characters that we feel on-screen."
"And on top of that, he's an unbelievably talented and versatile actor," she continued. "So, with the combination of Shawn Levy at the helm, I feel good about this. I feel good about our possibilities here."
Directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Gosling and Connor Storrie, Ghost Rider is set to race into theaters on July 28, 2028.