With Ghost Rider set to debut in the MCU in 2028, the likelihood of the Midnight Sons forming on the big screen is skyrocketing. Though the Avengers arguably remain the most recognizable team under the Marvel umbrella, the supernatural-based Midnight Sons have become a close second in recent years. Tasked with dealing with occult and mystical threats, the Midnight Sons take on the kinds of dangers the Avengers can't handle. Many characters from the team's roster have already appeared in the MCU over the past nearly two decades, with Marvel Studios seemingly laying the groundwork for a potential team-up down the line.
At this year's San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios announced that Project Hail Mary star Ryan Gosling is taking on the role of Ghost Rider in a self-titled film set to hit theaters on July 28, 2028. This marks the eighth Midnight Sons superhero cast in the MCU. It is unknown which version of the Spirit of Vengeance Gosling will portray, with options ranging from Johnny Blaze to Robbie Reyes. Either way, the Ghost Rider film will be the latest and greatest MCU supernatural project to open upon its Summer 2028 release date.
Ghost Rider has long been one of the most recognizable members of the Midnight Sons in Marvel Comics. Co-founding the team alongside Doctor Strange, he joined forces with the likes of Blade, Morbius, and others when the Midnight Sons first assembled in 1992. In the years that followed, Ghost Rider became one of the group's defining faces.
Gosling joins seven other MCU actors and characters who have, in one way or another, been part of the Midnight Sons in Marvel lore over the years, potentially bringing the MCU one step closer to finally assembling the team on-screen.
Every MCU Character on the Midnight Sons Roster So Far
Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange was one of the founding members of the Midnight Sons and the driving force behind bringing most of the team together in 1992. He often rotates in and out of the roster but remains one of its most recognizable players.
It's nearly impossible to have an MCU version of the Midnight Sons without Benedict Cumberbatch's Doctor Strange involved. The former Master of the Mystic Arts hasn't been seen since 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, though the actor has publicly noted his character is bound to appear again. More likely than not, this will come to pass in December 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars, with the film's ending potentially setting up a path toward the formation of the Midnight Sons.
Moon Knight
Moon Knight first appeared as part of the Midnight Sons within Marvel Comics in 2018's Doctor Strange: Damnation in a fight against Mephisto. Utilizing his several personas, Marc Spector is an invaluable member of the team, one who has been at the forefront of fans' minds when envisioning an eventual live-action iteration from Marvel Studios.
Marvel Television's 2022 Moon Knight Disney+ series was a massive ignition for the Midnight Sons rumor mill, with many convinced a team-up was just around the corner now that one of the group's core members had been introduced. Since then, however, prospects of Oscar Isaac's Fist of Khonshu returning to the MCU have run nearly dry; perhaps a post-credits stinger in Ghost Rider could rectify this.
Werewolf by Night
Having joined the Midnight Sons in 2009's Marvel Zombies 4 comic line, Werewolf by Night has since become an occasional member of the team. If anyone were to give the team its supernatural rep, there's arguably no one better to point to than Jack Russell, whose lycanthropy curse binds him to a werewolf form.
Disney+ became home to Marvel Studios' Werewolf by Night Special Presentation in 2022, bringing with it a swarm of characters, including Gael García Bernal's titular character, primed to join the live-action Midnight Sons team. In the years since, news about when this horror-infused cast of characters would reappear has been notably quiet, though Ghost Rider now being brought to the big screen could spark newfound hope.
Man-Thing
Though tied to Werewolf by Night in the MCU, Man-Thing didn't find himself on the Midnight Sons roster in the comics until 2018's Damnation as well. One of the team's most formidable members in strength alone, he provides a connection to interdimensional travel as the guardian of the Nexus of All Realities, a place that connects all universes in Marvel Comics.
Man-Thing (motion-captured by Carey Jones and vocalized by Jeffrey Ford) was also introduced in the MCU's Werewolf by Night Disney+ Special Presentation, and, by the end of it, is safe and sound with his friend, Jack Russell. Just like Werewolf by Night, Man-Thing is primed for a return, and there is no better place for him to do than amongst the Midnight Sons.
Elsa Bloodstone
Elsa Bloodstone was part of the Marvel Comics' 2018 wave of new Midnight Sons members. Her expertise in marksmanship and combat, combined with heightened abilities such as speed and strength from her Bloodgem, makes her just as menacing as her teammates.
Last seen in Marvel Studios' Werewolf by Night, Laura Donnelly's Elsa currently reigns as the master of Bloodstone Manor. Her return has not been officially addressed, but if the Midnight Sons are on the horizon for a live-action adaptation, then she is prime for the taking.
Wong
Wong was the one who assembled the new Midnight Sons team in 2018's Damnation to battle Mephisto. Leading that version of the team, Wong is now a bona fide member of the Midnight Sons in his own right, making him a natural fit for the team's eventual arrival in the MCU.
2022's She-Hulk: Attorney at Law featured the most recent appearance of Benedict Wong's Wong, who remains the MCU's Sorcerer Supreme. With his extensive knowledge of the mystical side of the MCU and history with the Midnight Sons in the comics, Wong could easily find himself assembling the team once again when supernatural threats begin to emerge, maybe as soon as Secret Wars.
Iron Fist
Iron Fist was among the heroes in Wong's iteration of the Midnight Sons, adding a street-level presence to the supernatural-focused team. With his mystical chi on his side, Iron Fist slots perfectly into the team, and the prospects of him joining the ranks of a live-action adaptation are only increasing.
Last seen in Netflix's Iron Fist Season 2, Finn Jones is set to return as Danny Rand/Iron Fist in Daredevil: Born Again Season 3 in 2027. Set photos show him reuniting with fellow Defenders Luke Cage and Jessica Jones, marking another major step in integrating the now-defunct Marvel Netflix era into the MCU. From there, it may only be a matter of time before Iron Fist is swept into yet another team-up, this time in the form of the Midnight Sons.
BONUS: The Hood
Circling back to 2009, The Hood found himself with the Midnight Sons, though reluctantly. Also brought in during the Marvel Zombies 4 comic run, Parker Robbins regained his demonic abilities by the end and hasn't been part of the team since. Even so, his recent debut on Disney+ raises the question of whether he could eventually make his way back into the Midnight Sons' ranks.
2025's Ironheart ended with Anthony Ramos' version of The Hood defeated by Riri Williams and stripped of his supernatural abilities bestowed upon him by Mephisto. That leaves the door open for Parker Robbins to eventually join Marvel Studios' version of the Midnight Sons, much like he did in the comics. If the MCU follows a similar path, Robbins could find himself working alongside the team out of desperation to reclaim the power he once possessed.
BONUS: Blade
Another founding member of the Midnight Sons in 1992, Blade serves as the face of the team for many fans. Often finding himself on the front lines across various iterations of the team, Blade's connection to the world of vampires makes him a natural fit for its supernatural aesthetic. However, his chances of joining the team under Marvel Studios' watch appear slim, as of writing.
Having only ever been heard during 2021's Eternals post-credits scene, Mahershala Ali's version of the Daywalker was never fully realized on screen. After years of trials and tribulations, Marvel Studios ultimately pulled the plug on its solo Blade film, with Ali also expressing he was no longer involved with the project. That isn't to say the character, whether portrayed by Ali or someone else, won't eventually appear in the MCU. It's difficult to imagine a live-action version of the Midnight Sons without Blade, making it likely that Marvel Studios will find a way to bring him into the fold.
