Last year, rumours swirled that Marvel Studios planned\u00a0to introduce the MCU’s new Ghost Rider in\u00a0Avengers: Doomsday. The character hasn’t been seen in theaters since 2012’s Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance in 2012, though Gabriel Luna played the\u00a0Robbie Reyes version in 10 episodes of\u00a0Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. across 2016 and 2017.<\/p>\n
An Avengers franchise debut made sense, as the Russo Brothers frequently add major new characters to the MCU\u00a0in their movies, whether it’s The Falcon in\u00a0Captain America: The Winter Soldier\u00a0or Spider-Man and Black Panther in\u00a0Captain America: Civil War.<\/p>\n
We never did find out whether this Ghost Rider would be a one-off Variant or the version of the character who takes centre stage in\u00a0Midnight Sons\u00a0and other supernatural projects post-Avengers: Secret Wars. However, Ryan Gosling has expressed\u00a0interest in a possible superhero movie role and, more specifically, the Spirit of Vengeance, on a few occasions.<\/p>\n
Marvel Studios has given the Project Hail Mary star his seal of approval, saying,\u00a0“Hey man, if Ryan wants to be Ghost Rider…Gosling\u2019s unbelievable. Ryan is amazing. I’d love to find a place for him in the MCU.”<\/strong><\/p>\n In a new interview with Josh Horowitz, the actor was asked whether he’s being lined up to play the Spirit of Vengeance and broke his silence on the latest round of rumours. “I don’t know what to say.\u00a0We keep hope alive,”<\/strong> Gosling teased.\u00a0“Some discussions have been had. It’s a complicated situation.”<\/strong><\/p>\n When Horowitz pointed out that Gosling’s wife, Eva Mendez, starred in 2007’s Ghost Rider opposite Nic Cage, the actor jokingly replied, “I’m just happy one of us got to do it.”<\/strong><\/p>\n Admitting that he wasn’t a comic book reader as a kid, Gosling said that the reason he was drawn to Ghost Rider was “just a feeling.”\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Marvel Studios has held the rights to the Ghost Rider\u00a0character since Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance crashed and burned for Sony Pictures in 2012. Kevin Feige\u00a0allowed Marvel Television to use the Robbie Reyes version of the anti-hero in\u00a0Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.\u00a0for a brief spell, and there was talk of a spin-off TV series.<\/p>\n That never came to fruition, partly because Marvel Studios later\u00a0took full control of Marvel’s output (leading to the Jeph Loeb-led production company being\u00a0made defunct\u00a0by Disney).<\/p>\n