Marvel Studios officially announced the third MCU movie with a major Star Wars actor as the lead character (and it's a game-changer). While the MCU and Star Wars have yet to crossover in live-action (it is bound to happen soon in Marvel Comics in a story written by Kevin Smith), the fact that Disney owns both Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm could hint that it could arrive sooner rather than later. The House of Mouse's talent pipeline has become one of the most reliable patterns in modern blockbuster casting, with some actors from the galaxy far, far away jumping ship to the MCU and vice versa.
For example, Samuel L. Jackson portrayed Mace Windu before portraying the MCU's Nick Fury, and Natalie Portman brought Padme Amidala to life before playing Jane Foster. The roster expanded after the MCU brought several Star Wars Jedi actors into the fold, such as Ariana Greenblatt (Infinity War), Eman Esfandi (Spider-Man: Brand New Day), and Cailey Fleming (Loki).
At this year's Hall H presentation at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2026, Marvel Studios announced Ryan Gosling as the MCU's new Ghost Rider, with him leading the charge in a standalone film of the same name directed by Shawn Levy, set to arrive on July 28, 2028. This confirmation makes Ghost Rider the third MCU movie led by a Star Wars actor, marking an important milestone for Marvel Studios.
Ryan Gosling joins an exclusive MCU club of Star Wars actors, following Simu Liu's lead role as Shang-Chi in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Pedro Pascal headlining The Fantastic Four: First Steps as Reed Richards.
Gosling has been chasing the Ghost Rider role for years. During the Hall H presentation, the Star Wars actor admitted that the titular Midnight Sons member has been a "character [he] wanted to play for a very long time."
Ryan Gosling's Ghost Rider is expected to play an integral role in the MCU's Mutant Saga, similar to how significant the roles of Pascal's Reed Richards and Liu's Shang-Chi are in the Multiverse Saga.
Gosling's A-list status, combined with the expertise of a proven Marvel director in Shawn Levy (he previously helmed Deadpool and Wolverine), elevates Ghost Rider as a major Phase 7 tentpole for the MCU that could serve as an anchor for the franchise, similar to what Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man and Chris Evans' Steve Rogers did.
Pedro Pascal rose to prominence in the Star Wars franchise for playing Din Djarin in The Mandalorian franchise. After giving life to the character on the small screen on Disney+, Pascal's Din Djarin made his theatrical debut in 2026's The Mandalorian and Grogu, a standalone adventure that advanced the father-son dynamic between him and Grogu.
In 2025, Pascal jumped ship to the MCU to portray Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Reed's importance in the MCU is significant because he is poised to serve as the scientific and moral rival of Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom, whose arrival in Avengers: Doomsday (set for release on December 18) turns their rift into a central storyline of the Multiverse Saga's endgame.
Simu Liu's memorable performance as Shang-Chi in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings turned heads everywhere, which explains why the long wait for his sequel has been the main topic of conversation among fans. Liu's Shang-Chi is set to return as a member of the Avengers in Avengers: Doomsday, helping Reed Richards and the rest of the heroes to try and stop Doctor Doom's evil plans for the Multiverse.
Before his stint in Doomsday, Simu Liu made a detour in the galaxy far, far away by voicing Lah Zhima in Star Wars: Visions Presents - The Ninth Jedi. Lah Zhima is a famous Force-sensitive sabersmith and the father of Lah Kara, who crafts lightsabers with kyber crystals that shift colors based on the user's emotions.
Ryan Gosling, Simu Liu, and Pedro Pascal aren't the only Star Wars actors who are also part of the list of lead MCU actors. There are also other notable ones who have yet to appear as lead stars in an upcoming MCU project.
Every Star Wars Actor Set to Appear as Lead Stars In Upcoming MCU Projects
Paul Bettany - VisionQuest
Paul Bettany is set to spearhead his own MCU Disney+ project by returning as Vision in VisionQuest, a series that revolves around the titular android trying to regain his memories to find his place in the world.
This marks the first time Bettany will lead his own MCU project, and the timing is perfect because wherever Vision's journey ends could be the setup he needs to have a significant role in either Avengers: Doomsday or Avengers: Secret Wars.
Before being a significant part of the MCU, Paul Bettany made an impactful appearance in Solo: A Star Wars Story as Dryden Vos, a galactic crime lord and a major figurehead of the Crimson Dawn syndicate. Many deemed Vos one of the strongest live-action Star Wars villains for striking the right balance between sheer tenacity and a calm yet menacing demeanor.
Ebon Moss-Bachrach - Avengers: Doomsday
Ebon Moss-Bachrach is set to return as Ben Grimm (Thing) in Avengers: Doomsday, serving as one of the lead heroes on the frontlines of the looming conflict against Doctor Doom. Marketing for Doomsday emphasized Ben Grimm's importance in the Multiverse Saga's endgame, especially after one of the first four teasers included him prominently to suggest his larger role in the upcoming clash.
Moss-Bachrach also made a significant contribution to the Star Wars franchise after starring as Avrel Skeen in Andor Season 1, specifically during the Aldhani heist storyline. He only had a small role after being killed by Cassian Andor when he tried to walk away with the Imperial payroll they stole. Skeen's death reinforced the idea that the Rebellion is built from compromised people, not exactly saints willing to die for the cause.
David Harbour - Avengers: Doomsday
Following his major role as Red Guardian in both Black Widow and Thunderbolts*, David Harbour's Alexei Shostakov will once again become part of the main team of heroes in Avengers: Doomsday, this time as a member of the New Avengers. Many have theorized that Red Guardian will make the sacrifice play in Doomsday to save his adopted daughter, Yelena Belova, at the Multiverse Saga's climax. Doing this would elevate him from a comedic character to an essential one, best remembered for his sacrifice.
In Star Wars, David Harbour lent his voice to Tajin, a Jedi Master, in 2021's Star Wars: Visions. The tale revolves around an aging Jedi and his Padawan, exploring time and how the duty to protect never ends, even after the war is over. Although it was only a voice role, Harbour managed to provide Tajin with a real emotional weight and weariness that elevated the character in the one-off story.
