Ryan Gosling recently appeared on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast to promote “Project Hail Mary” and confirmed that “some discussions” took place with Marvel regarding him joining the MCU as Ghost Rider. The “La La Land” and “Barbie” Oscar nominee first revealed his interest in playing Ghost Rider in 2022 while shutting down speculation that Marvel was courting him for a different role, the intergalactic officer Nova.
“We’ll keep hope alive,” Gosling said on his “Project Hail Mary” press tour when “Ghost Rider” came up. “Some discussions have been had. It’s a complicated situation.”
Feige’s 2022 declaration that he’d want to play Ghost Rider in the MCU was warmly received by none other than Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige.
“Hey man, if Ryan wants to be Ghost Rider…” Feige said when he learned about Gosling’s Marvel pitch while on the red carpet at Comic-Con later that year. “Gosling’s unbelievable. Ryan is amazing…I’d love to find a place for him in the MCU. He’s dressed up as Ken on Venice Beach [filming ‘Barbie’] and gets more press than giant movies coming out that weekend. It’s amazing.”
“Ghost Rider” was first turned into a movie in 2007 with Nicolas Cage in the title role. A sequel, “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance,” was released in 2012. The first movie co-starred Eva Mendes, who just so happens to be Gosling’s longtime partner. The actors have two children together. Gosling quipped to “Happy Sad Confused” host Josh Hororwitz: “I’m just happy one of us got to do it.”
Watch Gosling’s full interview on the “Happy Sad Confued” podcast below.