Marvel's New Era
Marvel Studios Announces David Jonsson as Black Panther, Ryan Gosling as Ghost Rider at Comic-Con
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Marvel Studios dropped two of its biggest casting announcements in years at Comic-Con International on July 25, 2026. David Jonsson will play the new Black Panther and Ryan Gosling will star as Ghost Rider, with both films set for release in 2028, according to WAFB.
The reveals came during Marvel's Hall H presentation in San Diego before roughly 7,000 fans. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige also announced a theatrical re-release of 2019's *Avengers: Endgame* — with new footage — set for September 25, 2026, tying it to the upcoming *Avengers: Doomsday*, due in theaters December 18, 2026, WLOX reported.
David Jonsson Steps Into T'Challa's Legacy as New Black Panther
Director Ryan Coogler is returning to write and direct *Black Panther 3*, due December 15, 2028. He explained the story will follow T'Challa's son, Toussaint — first seen as a child in *Black Panther: Wakanda Forever* (2022) — now grown up. Coogler said on stage: "He grows up [and] he comes of age." Letitia Wright and Winston Duke will also return, according to KWTX.
Jonsson, a rising British actor known for *Alien: Romulus* and the TV series *Industry*, addressed the Hall H crowd: "The honor is entirely mine." The original 2018 *Black Panther* earned $1.3 billion worldwide and became the first superhero film nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. Its 2022 sequel earned $850 million, WISTV reported.
Ryan Gosling and Shawn Levy Team Up to Bring Ghost Rider to the MCU
Gosling has publicly wanted the Ghost Rider role for years. On stage, he said: "Is this really happening? This is a character I've wanted to play for a very long time." He then called out director Shawn Levy, his collaborator on the upcoming *Star Wars: Starfighter* (due May 28, 2027), to direct the project, according to 13ABC.
Levy said the two began developing the Ghost Rider vision while filming *Star Wars: Starfighter* last year. "I finally said, 'Bro, let's ride,'" Levy told the crowd. Ghost Rider was last played by Nicolas Cage in two Columbia Pictures films in 2007 and 2011. Those rights have since returned to Disney, clearing the way for an MCU version, WOWT reported.
Avengers: Endgame Returns to Theaters With New Footage Linking to Doomsday
Marvel will re-release *Avengers: Endgame* — retitled *Avengers: Endgame Encore* — on September 25, 2026. The new cut adds roughly 7 minutes of unseen footage. Feige defended the move, saying: "Reminding all of us what it was like to be in that theater, cheering along and enjoying that crazy enthusiasm, is why we're rereleasing Avengers: Endgame," according to KLTV.
The new footage is designed to connect the 2019 film directly to *Avengers: Doomsday*, which arrives December 18, 2026, and features Robert Downey Jr. returning as Doctor Doom. A key new line — Tony Stark saying "You mess with time, it tends to mess back" — is seen as a bridge between the two films. Marvel also handed out Doctor Doom masks to all 7,000 Hall H attendees, AZFamily reported.
Marvel Bets on Star Power to Reverse Years of Box Office Struggles
The announcements come as Marvel works to recover from a rough stretch. The loss of Jonathan Majors — who was fired after a criminal conviction — forced the studio to drop the "Kang Dynasty" subtitle and rethink its entire future lineup. Films like *Captain America: Brave New World* underperformed, fueling talk of "superhero fatigue," according to KCTV5.
By landing A-list names like Gosling alongside fast-rising stars like Jonsson, Marvel is signaling the MCU is still a top destination for major talent. The studio also confirmed the Disney+ series *VisionQuest* — an eight-episode conclusion to the *WandaVision* story — will premiere October 14, 2026, pointing to a leaner but higher-profile content strategy going forward, WSMV reported.
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