Avengers: Doomsday was once reported to introduce a major supernatural superhero, but it seems Marvel Studios has pushed paused on those plans. The Spirit of Vengeance may or may not already be out there in the MCU, as Gabriel Luna's Robbie Reyes assumed the mantle in Agents of SHIELD, although its canon status is still up for debate. Furthermore, Marvel Studios took the first steps toward Ghost Rider last year in Disney+'s Ironheart by introducing Sacha Baron Cohen's Mephisto, who famously provides the Spirit of Vengeance curse.
According to a post on X from renowned insider Daniel Richtman, Ghost Rider is "not currently" in Avengers: Doomsday despite the fact they were previously looking to cast the role for the December blockbuster. The scooper concluded that Marvel Studios must have "changed their minds" on the character's debut.
Richtman previously indicated that the Spirit of Vengeance would be one of "multiple cameos" in Doomsday, marking his MCU debut before he takes a larger role in the next saga, including one supernatural ensemble movie.
The insider reported that Marvel Studios had chosen Ghost Rider to lead the MCU's Midnight Sons in an upcoming movie that has been rumored to feature Oscar Isaac's Moon Knight and Mahershala Ali's Blade.
Why Ghost Rider Could Appear in Avengers: Secret Wars (With an A-List Actor)
Interestingly, scooper MyTimeToShineHello once stated that Barbie actor Ryan Gosling was the "top choice" to play Ghost Rider. The A-lister's commitments to Star Wars: Starfighter were said to be an obstacle, but, the rumor claimed that if "everything aligns," he would appear in Avengers: Doomsday.
Meanwhile, despite now saying that Ghost Rider won't be this year's Avengers blockbuster, Daniel Richtman previously reported that Marvel Studios had cast an actor to play its Spirit of Vengeance, but he was unable to confirm who.
If Marvel Studios was committed to landing Gosling as the MCU's Ghost Rider, perhaps the character's debut was shifted to Avengers: Secret Wars or even beyond that in Phase 7 to accommodate his Star Wars role and busy schedule.
There's no denying that Gosling's stardom would make a great addition to the MCU and its Midnight Sons line-up. One has to imagine that, after Thunderbolts* flopped in theaters, Marvel Studios has some apprehension about another lesser-known team-up movie, and could be hopeful that big names like Ryan Gosling, Oscar Isaac, and Mahershala Ali could boost its chances of success.
