Marvel’s ‘Ghost Rider’ Reboot Is Taking a Very Old-School Route Behind the Camera

Johnny Blaze has never been an easy sell on the big screen. He is a stunt motorcyclist who trades his soul to the devil and comes back as a flaming-skulled enforcer of the damned. Nicolas Cage held the role across two Sony films, 2007’s ‘Ghost Rider’ and 2011’s ‘Spirit of Vengeance,’ which combined for more than $360 million worldwide.

Marvel has been circling a proper MCU version of the character for a while, and this year it finally put the keys in someone’s hand. Marvel Studios confirmed a new ‘Ghost Rider’ film during its Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, with Ryan Gosling taking the wheel and Shawn Levy directing. Gosling had long been the fan-cast answer to who should play the character, and he has called it his ultimate dream superhero role.

Now the film’s look is starting to come into focus, and it is a throwback. DiscussingFilm’s post on X, which has pulled in more than 827K views, points out that Levy’s ‘Ghost Rider’ will be shot on film, with Linus Sandgren behind the camera as cinematographer. The Hollywood Reporter says Sandgren, who shot ‘Dune: Part Three,’ will serve as director of photography and shoot the movie on film in New York next year.

That is a notable choice for a franchise that often leans on digital workflows and heavy visual effects. Shooting on film tends to bring a grittier, more textured palette, which could suit a story about a cursed biker and a hellfire-soaked vengeance spirit. It also suggests Marvel is willing to let this one feel a little different from the usual house style.

The cinematography news arrived alongside another major update. ‘Heated Rivalry’ breakout Connor Storrie is reportedly in talks to play a villain opposite Gosling, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Gizmodo notes that Knight Edge Media first reported Storrie’s attachment, with The Hollywood Reporter later confirming he is in talks for the film’s villain.

Levy is no stranger to Marvel, having steered ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ to massive box office returns. He and Gosling are also collaborating on ‘Star Wars: Starfighter,’ due in theaters May 28, 2027, which makes ‘Ghost Rider’ their second consecutive project together. Levy has said the idea for ‘Ghost Rider’ came up in conversations with Gosling between takes while filming ‘Star Wars: Starfighter.’

The director reportedly had other options on the table, too. According to a report from Puck’s Matt Belloni, Levy chose ‘Ghost Rider’ over ‘Days of Thunder 2,’ even though Tom Cruise and Paramount were aggressively pursuing him for it. Belloni also reports that Netflix tried to keep Levy by matching Disney’s offer, but he ultimately went with Disney.

The production is shaping up with serious muscle behind it. Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Stephen Broussard, Levy and Gosling are set to produce. Marvel has set ‘Ghost Rider’ for release on July 28, 2028.

There are still plenty of open questions. It remains unclear which incarnation of the character Gosling will play, and the film has a deeper mythology to draw from, including Danny Ketch and Robbie Reyes. Marvel is expected to share casting, plot and production details in the months ahead.

For now, the signs point to a bolder, moodier take on the Spirit of Vengeance. A Gosling-led, film-shot ‘Ghost Rider’ with Sandgren’s camera work and a rising star as the villain is a very different pitch from what audiences saw in the Cage era. Whether it can deliver on that promise is something fans will have to wait until 2028 to find out.