Marvel’s Ghost Rider may have found its villain. Heated Rivalry breakout Connor Storrie is in talks to join Ryan Gosling in Marvel Studios’ upcoming Ghost Rider movie, and multiple reports say he would be playing the film’s main antagonist.
Connor Storrie Is Circling a Villain Role
The Hollywood Reporter was first to break the news, and Deadline and Variety have since confirmed that Storrie is circling a role opposite Gosling. Which villain he would play is still being kept under wraps, and Marvel Studios does not comment on casting, so for now this is a deal in progress rather than an official announcement.
The 26 year old actor has had a huge year. Heated Rivalry, the hockey romance series that debuted in November 2025, turned Storrie and costar Hudson Williams into overnight stars. Since then, Storrie has picked up an Emmy nomination for hosting Saturday Night Live, along with major brand deals and a growing list of projects.
This wouldn’t be his first comic book movie, either. Storrie had a small but memorable part in 2024’s Joker: Folie à Deux as the Arkham Asylum inmate who kills Joaquin Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck at the end of the film.
Who Could Storrie Be Playing?
Ghost Rider’s rogues gallery isn’t huge, which makes the guessing game even more fun. A few of the most talked about options:
- Blackheart: The demon son of Mephisto, and the main villain of the 2007 Ghost Rider film, where he was played by Wes Bentley. A younger, charismatic Blackheart would be a natural fit for Storrie.
- Mephisto: The devilish figure behind Ghost Rider’s curse. He already made his MCU debut in Ironheart, played by Sacha Baron Cohen, so he’s less likely to be recast.
- Zarathos: The demonic spirit that bonds with Johnny Blaze to create Ghost Rider in the first place.
- Nightmare: A dream demon who once teamed with Zarathos to take control of Blaze’s body.
What We Know About Marvel’s Ghost Rider
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige surprised fans by announcing Ryan Gosling as the Spirit of Vengeance during Marvel’s San Diego Comic Con 2026 Hall H panel. Gosling had talked for years about wanting to play the character, and he finally got his wish.
The film reunites Gosling with director Shawn Levy and writer Jonathan Tropper, the team behind Star Wars: Starfighter, which arrives in theaters in May 2027. Levy is no stranger to Marvel, having directed 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, which earned $1.33 billion worldwide and became the highest grossing film ever with an R rating. You can read more about Levy and Gosling’s Star Wars film, including its $226.5 million budget.
Marvel hasn’t officially said which version of Ghost Rider Gosling will play. When asked back in July, Feige said he would leave it to Gosling to reveal that when he’s ready, though several reports refer to his character as Johnny Blaze. Production is expected to begin in 2027, and Ghost Rider is set to hit theaters July 28, 2028.
Ghost Rider’s Return to the Big Screen
This will be the first time Ghost Rider has headlined a movie since Nicolas Cage played Johnny Blaze in 2007’s Ghost Rider and 2012’s Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. And in a fun twist, the 2007 film costarred Eva Mendes, who is now married to Gosling.
What villain do you hope Connor Storrie ends up playing? Let us know in the comments!
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