Nicolas Cage Gives Ryan Gosling His Blessing as the MCU’s New ‘Ghost Rider’

Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe took over Hollywood, Nicolas Cage was already riding a flaming motorcycle. Now that Ryan Gosling is taking over as Ghost Rider, the original Johnny Blaze has finally shared his reaction. Cage’s 2 efforts attempted to replicate a similar tone to the ‘Blade’ films, though with a PG-13 vibe, and both failed to excite audiences, but they still made the character a cult favorite.

The films weren’t a critical success, but they did well at the box office. Cage starred in ‘Ghost Rider’ and ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance’, and together the 2 films grossed more than $361 million worldwide. Before Gosling’s casting, the only other live-action version of the hero was in ‘Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD’, where the character appeared as Robbie Reyes rather than Johnny Blaze and was played by Gabriel Luna.

Cage finally weighed in this week. At the premiere of his new movie ‘Madden’, Cage spoke about the new adaptation, and he told The Hollywood Reporter, “Ryan’s going to do his thing with it, and I’m looking forward to seeing it.” He added, “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, and I look forward to seeing the movie.”

This casting took years. Gosling expressed interest in playing Ghost Rider multiple times before the official announcement at San Diego Comic-Con in July. He confirmed on the Happy Sad Confused With Josh Horowitz podcast in March that he was in discussions with Marvel.

Ghost Rider enters the MCU 🔥 Ryan Gosling will star in Marvel Studios’ Ghost Rider, directed by Shawn Levy. #SDCC https://t.co/MR2HJww2Wg

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) July 26, 2026

The reveal itself was a big moment. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige confirmed the news on stage at Hall H, introducing Gosling to a crowd that had reportedly been speculating about this casting for years. Gosling told fans he had dreamed of the role for a long time and said there was only 1 director who could make it.

That director is a familiar Marvel name. Shawn Levy previously directed ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ for Marvel and is working with Gosling on ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’, due out on 28 May 2027. According to both men, the ‘Ghost Rider’ idea grew out of downtime on that set. Jonathan Tropper, who also wrote the ‘Star Wars’ film, is writing the script.

Fans already have a date to circle. The MCU ‘Ghost Rider’ movie comes out in US theaters on July 28, 2028. Other reports suggest Gosling could arrive sooner, since according to online rumours, the ‘Project Hail Mary’ star may make his first appearance in 2027’s ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’. ‘Heated Rivalry’ star Connor Storrie is also reportedly in talks to play the film’s villain.

The handoff has a personal side. Gosling’s longtime partner, Eva Mendes, played Blaze’s love interest, Roxanne Simpson, in the 2007 movie. Gosling has joked about it before, saying he was simply glad 1 of them got to play the role eventually, and Mendes has also supported her husband in taking over the fiery character.

Cage has had his own ideas about where the franchise went wrong. He has argued that an R-rated ‘Ghost Rider’, made with the boldness of ‘Deadpool’, would probably have been a huge hit. Fans will be watching to see how Gosling and Levy approach the darker side of the character.

Cage has plenty on his plate. He also played another superhero this year, starring in Prime Video’s ‘Spider-Noir’. His next big role sees him playing NFL legend John Madden in ‘Madden’, directed by David O. Russell, which premieres November 18 on Prime Video.

The biopic co-stars Christian Bale as Raiders owner Al Davis, so Cage’s Madden press tour should give him more chances to talk about his superhero past. For now, he’s made it clear he’s happy to pass the torch.

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