Fans are split on the idea of Ryan Gosling as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Ghost Rider after he debunked rumors of him being cast as Nova in favor of the Spirit of Vengeance.
MTV reporter Josh Horowitz revealed on Twitter the actor’s keen interest to play the antihero during an interview for his next action thriller film, The Gray Man. According to Horowitz, the two-time Oscar nominee said that the superhero he really wants to play is Ghost Rider.
Fans were split about Gosling’s superhero preference. While some believed he’s perfect for the role, some thought there are better superheroes out there than Ghost Rider. Others believed that the MCU version of Ghost Rider should not go to Gosling, preferring The Walking Dead veteran Norman Reedus to throw on the leathers and set his skull on fire.
Meanwhile, other fans shared support for Gosling to play Ghost Rider. However, they want Zack Snyder to direct the film.
Back in 2007, Marvel Entertainment and Colombia Pictures released the first live-action adaptation of Ghost Rider. The film starred Nicolas Cage, and earned more than $228 million at the box office. The film had a sequel in 2011 titled Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, which didn’t perform well with either fans or critics.
While it was not yet confirmed whether or not Gosling will be involved in the MCU, the majority of Gosling’s past work has taken place firmly outside of the action genre, so if he were to be included in the MCU, it would be interesting to see what his portrayal of the antihero would be like.