Hall H hasn’t felt this electric in years. Marvel Studios returned to San Diego Comic-Con after skipping 2025 entirely, and it made up for lost time with casting bombshells, surprise cameos, and a first look at its biggest crossover yet. If you missed the panel, here’s everything worth knowing.
Marvel ‘s 6 Biggest Reveals
| # | Reveal | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Jonsson is the new Black Panther | First recast since Chadwick Boseman’s passing |
| 2 | Ryan Gosling cast as Ghost Rider | Standalone film directed by Shawn Levy |
| 3 | Denzel Washington joins Black Panther III | Custom-built role, cast alongside Wright & Duke |
| 4 | New Avengers: Doomsday footage | First real look at Doctor Doom’s menace |
| 5 | Ryan Reynolds’ surprise Deadpool cameo | Interrupted the Doomsday panel in full costume |
| 6 | Spider-Man: Brand New Day exclusive clip | Spidey and Punisher team up against Hulk |
1. David Jonsson Steps Into Black Panther’s Mantle
After Chadwick Boseman’s death in 2020, Marvel made the deliberate choice not to recast T’Challa outright. Instead, “Wakanda Forever” quietly planted the seed by revealing T’Challa had a young son. That seed has now grown: “Alien: Romulus” star David Jonsson will play the adult son of T’Challa in “Black Panther III,” arriving December 15, 2028. Jonsson kept his comments brief and emotional, saying he wanted to “let the screen do the talking.”
2. Ryan Gosling Finally Becomes Ghost Rider
Years of speculation ended when Ryan Gosling walked onstage with director Shawn Levy to confirm he’s taking on Marvel’s fiery antihero in a standalone 2028 film. Ghost Rider previously appeared on the big screen through Nicolas Cage’s two films, and later on TV through “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” Gosling called it a role he’s “wanted to play for a very long time” — a fitting full-circle moment given his wife, Eva Mendes, starred in the original 2007 “Ghost Rider” film.
3. Denzel Washington Joins the Wakanda Family
Alongside Jonsson’s casting, director Ryan Coogler confirmed that Letitia Wright and Winston Duke are both returning, with Wright expected back as Shuri. The bigger surprise: Denzel Washington has joined “Black Panther III” in a role built specifically for him — a major get that instantly raises the stakes for the franchise’s next chapter.
4. Doctor Doom Takes Center Stage in Doomsday Footage
New footage from “Avengers: Doomsday” leaned hard into Robert Downey Jr.’s villainous Victor Von Doom, showing him commanding an army of Sentinels and effortlessly deflecting Thor’s Stormbreaker. Vanessa Kirby’s Sue Storm narrated Doom’s tragic backstory, while Pedro Pascal’s Reed Richards confronted him directly. It’s clear Marvel is building Doom into one of its most formidable villains yet.
5. Ryan Reynolds Crashes the Party as Deadpool
Just when the Doomsday panel seemed to be wrapping, Ryan Reynolds emerged from the crowd in full Deadpool costume, joking about the “expensive way” to announce a film before asking Downey Jr. when production would start. Downey’s response — “It’s in the can, bro!” — got one of the biggest laughs of the panel.
6. Spider-Man Teams Up With Punisher Against Hulk
Even with Tom Holland and Zendaya absent from the panel, Marvel debuted exclusive footage from “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” showing Spider-Man teaming up with Jon Bernthal’s Punisher to take down Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk. Bernthal was the only cast member present, joining Kevin Feige onstage to introduce the clip.
Between casting reveals, surprise cameos, and first-look footage, this year’s Comic-Con confirmed Marvel is building toward its most ambitious crossover era yet — all while quietly launching two brand-new franchises.
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FAQs
Who is the new Black Panther in the MCU?
When does Ryan Gosling’s Ghost Rider movie come out?
The standalone film is set for release in 2028, though an exact date hasn’t been announced.
