Marvel Studios Casts Ryan Gosling and David Jonsson at Comic-Con

Diehard fans packed San Diego Comic-Con’s Hall H, with some camping out for more than 30 hours, only for the 40-minute panel to wrap up with just two major movie announcements. Following a 30-minute delay, the showcase opened with a re-edited trailer for Avengers: Endgame—dubbed Endgame Encore—which will have an exclusive sneak peek at Avengers: Doomsday.

The presentations highlighted a mix of massive upcoming projects alongside the heavily anticipated Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for release on December 18. Yet the absence of casting news for the studio’s long-awaited X-Men reboot left segments of the crowd disappointed, even as original Fox-era mutants prepare to return for the upcoming crossover event.

Robert Downey Jr. and the Avengers: Doomsday Hall H Showcase

Directors Joe and Anthony Russo took the stage alongside nearly two dozen cast members, including Oscar winner Robert Downey Jr., Pedro Pascal, Chris Evans, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, Simu Liu, and Letitia Wright. Attendees received a complimentary Doctor Doom mask and cloak, which the crowd donned as Downey took the microphone.

Downey reflected on his surprising casting reveal at Comic-Con two years prior, telling the crowd that they lifted him up when they had faith in him.

“When y’all had faith in me two years ago, you lifted me up, and I think we made something real special. But decisions will have to be made. Perhaps you’re on the side of the good guys, or perhaps you’ll have to consider the alternative.”

Robert Downey Jr., Actor, via Marvel.com

During the panel, an exclusive first look at footage from Avengers: Doomsday debuted to a raucous crowd. The preview opens with Victor Von Doom sitting on a golden throne in full armor as green energy pulses beneath him. Sue Storm provides emotional narration over the scene, stating that Doom was always the smartest person in the room and that everything he loved was taken from him.

Later in the footage, Reed Richards asks Doom if he is responsible for the surrounding devastation, to which Doom delivers a cold warning: All of you have lived storied lives. And now you must give them back.

Ryan Gosling Cast as Ghost Rider Under Director Shawn Levy

Marvel officially confirmed that Ryan Gosling will star as Ghost Rider in a standalone movie directed by Shawn Levy, slated for release in 2028. Levy recently directed Deadpool & Wolverine and teamed up with Gosling on the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter, due out on May 28, 2027.

Gosling becomes the second actor to portray the Spirit of Vengeance on film, following Nicolas Cage’s performances in Sony’s 2007 Ghost Rider and its 2011 sequel. Gabriel Luna previously played the Robbie Reyes version of the character in ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., after which a planned Hulu standalone series was scrapped in 2019.

David Jonsson Takes Over as T’Challa II in Black Panther 3

Closing out the panel alongside director Ryan Coogler, rising actor David Jonsson was announced as the star of Black Panther 3, which is scheduled to release in 2028. Jonsson will portray T’Challa II, the son of the late Chadwick Boseman’s character.

Jonsson, known for his roles in The Long Walk and Alien: Romulus, joins the franchise as the new lead.

Fan Reaction and the Missing X-Men Cast Reveal

While the panel featured surprise appearances—including Ryan Reynolds crashing the stage in a gray Deadpool costume to joke with the cast—the absence of any casting announcements for the upcoming X-Men reboot frustrated sections of the fanbase who anticipated news on roles like Logan, Scott, Storm, Charles, and Erik.

Original Fox franchise stars including Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, Alan Cumming, and Kelsey Grammer are confirmed to appear in Avengers: Doomsday, but Kevin Feige offered no indication whether those actors or a newly cast team would carry the mutant franchise into 2027’s Secret Wars and beyond. With Disney’s D23 Expo approaching in three weeks, attendees are looking to the upcoming event for potential television or streaming updates, though Comic-Con traditionally remains the primary hub for major film revelations.