Updated

Updated · TheWrap · Jul 26

Marvel Unveils 'Avengers: Doomsday' Footage as $16.5 Million Presales Signal Huge Demand

Updated

Updated · TheWrap · Jul 26

Marvel Unveils 'Avengers: Doomsday' Footage as $16.5 Million Presales Signal Huge Demand

Q: Could Ryan Gosling secretly debut as Marvel's darkest antihero in a massive Avengers crossover before his solo film?

Yes, it is possible, but there is no confirmation that Ryan Gosling’s Ghost Rider will appear before his 2028 solo film. The strongest case is timing. Marvel has now officially cast Gosling as Johnny Blaze, while the next two major crossover points on the calendar are *Avengers: Doomsday* in late 2026 and *Avengers: Secret Wars* in late 2027. Because his standalone movie arrives after those ensemble films, Marvel could choose to introduce him in a cameo or supporting role beforehand, especially since the studio often seeds characters in crossover events before solo launches. The rumor mill has pointed more toward *Secret Wars* than *Doomsday*. Some online reports have floated both films, but the more persistent speculation says *Secret Wars* is the likelier entry point if Marvel wants a surprise debut. That would also fit Ghost Rider’s supernatural and multiversal flexibility, making him easier to drop into a large-scale event without needing a full origin first. Still, the evidence stops at speculation. Marvel has announced Gosling’s casting and Shawn Levy’s directing deal, but no plot details, no pre-2028 appearance, and no Avengers involvement have been made official. Kevin Feige’s past comments that Marvel would “love to find a place” for Gosling suggested interest, not a rollout plan. So the idea is plausible and even strategically sensible, but for now it remains an unconfirmed possibility rather than a hidden Marvel certainty.

Q: Will Marvel's gritty supernatural reboot finally reunite Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes on screen after nearly two decades?

No one knows yet. Ryan Gosling is confirmed to star as Johnny Blaze in Marvel Studios’ *Ghost Rider*, due in 2028, but there has been no announcement that Eva Mendes will appear. The reunion idea is plausible because Mendes played Roxanne Simpson in the 2007 *Ghost Rider* opposite Nicolas Cage, and the new film is revisiting the same core character, Johnny Blaze. That naturally leaves room for Roxanne or another legacy connection. It also gives the project an easy bit of extra attention, since Gosling and Mendes have not shared a screen role in nearly two decades. But the available reporting stops short of anything concrete. Both the news story and related coverage say no plot details have been released and Mendes’ involvement remains unknown. Marvel has only confirmed Gosling’s casting, Shawn Levy’s directing role and the 2028 release window. There is also a strong chance Marvel goes in a different direction. Because this is being framed as a new MCU take on Ghost Rider, the studio may recast Blaze’s supporting world, avoid direct ties to the Nicolas Cage-era films, or use the character to launch a broader supernatural storyline tied to projects like *Midnight Sons*. So the answer for now is maybe, but there is no evidence yet that Marvel’s reboot will reunite Gosling and Mendes on screen. Until Marvel announces casting beyond Gosling, it remains speculation.

3 articles · Updated · TheWrap · Jul 26

Hall H footage at San Diego Comic-Con gave Marvel fans a fuller look at Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom, centering on Victor Von Doom’s past with Reed Richards and Sue Storm.
Sue describes Doom as once kind before loss broke him, and Reed confronts him in the wreckage seen in the earlier trailer, where Doom says Marvel’s heroes have lived “stolen lives.”
The sneak peek also suggests Doom is targeting heroes’ children: he previously appeared near Reed and Sue’s son Franklin, and the new footage ends with Thor defending his daughter as Doom advances with Sentinels.
$16.5 million in first-day presales for just 1,000 premium screens underscored the hype around the Dec. 18 release, even as Imax will exclusively play Warner Bros.’ “Dune: Part Three” at that time.