It's official! Ryan Gosling is MCU's new Ghost Rider
Marvel Studios saved some of its biggest announcements for San Diego Comic-Con 2026, officially revealing the future of two major franchises. Director Ryan Coogler confirmed that David Jonsson will play the next Black Panther in ‘Black Panther III’, while Ryan Gosling is set to make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as ‘Ghost Rider’.
The announcements were made during Marvel Studios' Hall H presentation, one of the convention's most anticipated events.
David Jonsson steps into the Black Panther legacy
The biggest surprise of the evening came when Ryan Coogler took the stage alongside Letitia Wright and Winston Duke before introducing David Jonsson as the newest Black Panther.
Jonsson will play T'Challa's son, taking forward the legacy of the late Chadwick Boseman's iconic character. The film is scheduled to arrive in cinemas in December 2028.
Appearing emotional during the announcement, Jonsson thanked the cast and filmmakers for welcoming him into the franchise.
"Thank you to this family that I have the honor and the blessing to join. I don't want to say too much, because I want to let the screen do the talking."
The 32-year-old actor is known for performances in Industry, Alien: Romulus and The Long Walk.
A role fans have been waiting to see
Ever since Chadwick Boseman's death in 2020, Marvel fans have wondered how the studio would continue the Black Panther story. Instead of recasting Boseman's T'Challa, ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ honoured the actor's legacy while revealing that T'Challa had a young son, also named T'Challa, in its closing scenes. That reveal laid the foundation for the character's return in the third film, with Jonsson now playing the older version of the prince.
Ryan Coogler will return to direct the third instalment, with Letitia Wright expected to reprise her role as Shuri.
Ryan Gosling officially joins the MCU
Marvel also confirmed that Ryan Gosling will headline a standalone Ghost Rider film, marking the character's first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The project reunites Gosling with Shawn Levy, who recently directed him in ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’. The film is currently scheduled for release in 2028.
Speaking on stage, Gosling said he had wanted to play Ghost Rider for a long time.
The role was previously played by Nicolas Cage in the 2007 film ‘Ghost Rider’ and its 2012 sequel, both released before the character's film rights returned to Marvel Studios.
'Avengers: Endgame' returning to cinemas
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige also announced that ‘Avengers: Endgame’ will return to theatres on September 25 with additional footage designed to connect the blockbuster to the upcoming ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, which is scheduled for release on December 18.
The Comic-Con panel also featured appearances from several stars of ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal, making it one of Marvel's biggest Hall H presentations in recent years.
Agency inputs