Storrie in Talks as Ghost Rider Villain, Outlets Say
By @sharedot · · 8 pages
- Film
- Marvel
- Ghost Rider
- Connor Storrie
- Ryan Gosling
Heated Rivalry' star Connor Storrie is in talks to play the villain opposite Ryan Gosling in Marvel's 'Ghost Rider'.
A waiter a year ago, now facing down Gosling
The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that Connor Storrie, the breakout star of the hockey drama 'Heated Rivalry,' is in talks to star opposite Ryan Gosling in Marvel Studios' 'Ghost Rider.'
As THR tells it, only a year ago Storrie was an unknown actor supporting himself by waiting tables; now he may go toe-to-toe with one of Hollywood's biggest stars in one of its biggest franchises. Deadline confirmed Storrie is circling the role, and Variety reports he would play the film's villain.
Marvel reps declined to comment, per Deadline, and the studio does not comment on casting, per Variety.
Why the villain reveal is the guessing game fans want
What makes the casting intriguing is that nobody knows which demon Storrie would embody. The Hollywood Reporter notes Ghost Rider's Johnny Blaze lacks a signature villain, though he has faced Mephisto, and the Sony films pitted him against Mephisto and his son Blackheart.
Deadline says Storrie is reportedly the film's villain, with the part still unknown. Variety adds that Marvel has not confirmed which version of Ghost Rider Gosling will play, leaving the antagonist question open.
Variety also reports Mephisto has already entered the MCU via Sacha Baron Cohen in Disney+'s 'Ironheart,' which complicates any recast.
The Ryan Gosling long game behind it
The project itself is the one fans chased for years: Variety reports Gosling told Comic-Con's Hall H crowd, 'As you know, this is a character I've wanted to play for a very long time,' after Kevin Feige's surprise summer announcement.
Shawn Levy directs from a script by Jonathan Tropper, reuniting the 'Star Wars: Starfighter' team, per THR. Variety counts Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, Stephen Broussard, Levy and Gosling as producers, with Richie Palmer and Jessie Henderson executive producing.
Deadline notes Nicolas Cage previously played the stunt motorcyclist in a 2007 film and its 2011 sequel.
The evidence: three outlets, one deal in progress
The sourcing trail is unusually clean. Multiple reports reviewed here agree on the shape of the deal — in talks, reportedly villainous, unconfirmed by Marvel — while disagreeing on nothing material.
THR also reports the production will shoot on film in New York next year, with 'Dune: Part Three' cinematographer Linus Sandgren hired as director of photography, according to that outlet's sources.
The stakes for a twenty-six-year-old on a hot streak
For Storrie, this would cap a remarkable year.
Variety traces the arc: waiting tables at Laurel Grill in Culver City, then 'Heated Rivalry,' a Primetime Emmy-nominated 'Saturday Night Live' hosting turn, and a supporting role opposite Billie Eilish in Sarah Polley's 'The Bell Jar' for Focus Features.
Deadline lists upcoming projects including Craig Zobel's 'Turpentine' with Melissa McCarthy, Halina Reijn's 'Please' for A24, and Molly Gordon's 'Peaked.' THR reports 'Heated Rivalry' season two is on the way, making this his first big project since becoming famous as Ilya Rozanov.
What comes next before July 2028
The timeline is tight. THR reports the feature came together quickly after the surprise San Diego Comic-Con announcement in July, and all three outlets agree the film is dated for July 28, 2028.
Until Marvel confirms anything, this remains a deal in progress rather than an announcement — but a florist-franchise-level villain cast opposite Gosling's Spirit of Vengeance would be the story film readers will keep arguing about.