Marvel Studios brought some serious firepower to Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con, announcing ‘Black Panther 3’ with David Jonsson (The Long Walk, Alien: Romulus) taking over the mantle, alongside a new ‘Ghost Rider’ film starring Ryan Gosling (Barbie).
Ryan Coogler will return to direct ‘Black Panther 3’, which is due to arrive in cinemas in December 2028. Joined on stage by Letitia Wright (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) and Winston Duke (Us), Coogler revealed that Jonsson will play the grown-up son of T’Challa, following the character as he comes of age and becomes Wakanda’s new protector.
“The last time we got to make a movie, we introduced a character who is the son of the character that the great Chadwick Boseman played, our T’Challa, in that film. And today, I want to tell you that in this next film, he grows up [and] he comes of age,” Coogler told the Hall H crowd.
Jonsson then stepped onto the stage to a standing ovation.
“I want to say thank you so much,” he told the audience. “Thank you Ryan, thank you Kevin [Feige], thank you to this amazing family that I have the honour and the privilege and the blessing to join. I actually don’t want to say too much because I want to let the screen do the talking. But believe me, the honour is entirely mine.”
Coogler previously brought Wakanda to the big screen with ‘Black Panther’ and its sequel, ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’. He also co-produced the Marvel series ‘Ironheart’ and ‘Eyes of Wakanda’ for Disney+.
The other massive announcement saw Marvel finally start the engines on ‘Ghost Rider’, with Gosling officially cast as the motorcycle-riding supernatural hero.
The film will be directed by Shawn Levy, who previously helmed ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ and has been working with Gosling on the upcoming ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’.
“Wow, is this really happening?” Gosling told the crowd. “As you know, this is a character I’ve wanted to play for a very long time.”
Gosling then welcomed Levy to the stage, describing him as the only director who could bring this version of Ghost Rider to the screen. Levy explained that the pair began developing ideas while working together on ‘Star Wars: Starfighter’.
“As Ryan started talking about his vision for this character, we started riffing,” said Levy. “And I finally said, ‘Bro, let’s ride.’ So guys, we’ll see you in 2028.”
Marvel has not revealed which incarnation of Ghost Rider Gosling will play. Nicolas Cage (The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent) previously portrayed Johnny Blaze in two films outside the MCU, while Gabriel Luna (The Last of Us) played Robbie Reyes in ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’. For now, the studio is keeping the flaming skull firmly under wraps.
Elsewhere in Hall H, Marvel announced that ‘Avengers: Endgame’ will return to cinemas in September, complete with brand-new footage designed to set the stage for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’.
“2019 was a very long time ago,” Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige told the crowd. “The world’s a different place. But reminding all of us what it was like to be in that theatre, cheering along and enjoying that crazy enthusiasm, is why we’re rereleasing Avengers: Endgame on September 25.”
The panel also brought Jon Bernthal (Daredevil: Born Again) to the stage with an exclusive look at ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’. The footage showcased the relationship between his Punisher and Tom Holland (Spider-Man: No Way Home) as Spider-Man, with the pair also facing off against Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things) as Hulk.
The cast and filmmakers behind ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ then descended on Hall H, with directors Joe and Anthony Russo joined by a rather ridiculous collection of MCU heroes, villains, mutants and other assorted superpowered troublemakers.
The cast appearing at the panel included Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer), Chris Evans (Captain America: The First Avenger), Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us), Anthony Mackie (Twisted Metal), Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), Kelsey Grammer (Frasier), Rebecca Romijn (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds), James Marsden (Sonic the Hedgehog), Danny Ramirez (Top Gun: Maverick), David Harbour (Stranger Things), Hannah John-Kamen (Killjoys), Hayley Atwell (Agent Carter) and many more.
Attendees were handed Doom masks and capes as Downey addressed the crowd with Hall H bathed in green light.
“It’s not easy being green,” he said. “I need a lot of help. I need this whole family around me to finally assist me in being an arch-enemy, which is daunting.”
Reflecting on his casting announcement at Comic-Con two years earlier, Downey continued: “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.”
The presentation even found room for a surprise appearance from Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool & Wolverine), who emerged in the audience dressed as a grey Deadpool and began questioning the cast while making it fairly clear that he would quite like an invitation to join the movie.
‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ premieres Friday, 31st July 2026 in cinemas. ‘Avengers: Endgame’ returns to cinemas Friday, 25th September 2026. ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ premieres Friday, 18th December 2026 in cinemas. ‘Ghost Rider’ premieres in cinemas in 2028. ‘Black Panther 3’ premieres Friday, 15th December 2028 in cinemas.
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