Marvel Studios dominated San Diego Comic-Con 2026 on July 25 by confirming Ryan Gosling as Johnny Blaze in a 2028 Ghost Rider film directed by Shawn Levy, alongside Robert Downey Jr.’s return as Doctor Doom for Avengers: Doomsday.
The entertainment industry’s most closely watched annual gathering returned to the San Diego Convention Center in downtown San Diego’s Gaslamp District from July 23 to July 26, 2026. Bringing together over 135,000 badge attendees alongside massive outside activations, the four-day pop-culture event served as a major barometer for where studios are placing their biggest box-office bets.
Marvel Studios Hall H Takeover Brings Ghost Rider and Black Panther Castings
Following a year away from the convention’s flagship Saturday time slot, Marvel Studios returned to Hall H to outline the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe before an enthusiastic crowd.
Long-simmering casting rumors were officially put to rest when Ryan Gosling was confirmed as Johnny Blaze in a standalone project scheduled for release in 2028. Director Shawn Levy joined the project after working with Gosling on the Star Wars: Starfighter film. During the panel, Feige also announced that David Jonsson will play the new Black Panther, portraying the son of the late Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa — in a film directed by Ryan Coogler and set for release on December 15, 2028.
Robert Downey Jr. and the Return of Doctor Doom
The presentation also provided a deep dive into Avengers: Doomsday, complete with pre-show distribution of Doom masks and capes to the audience.
Apple TV+ and Prime Video Showcase Major Franchise Trailers
Beyond the Marvel announcements, streaming services and other studios used the convention floor to debut first-look footage and casting updates across prestige television and action films. Apple TV+ hosted its first-ever Hall H panel and an extensive press line at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, showcasing projects like Matchbox: The Movie starring John Cena and Jessica Biel ahead of an October 6 release date, alongside dystopian drama Silo Season 3 featuring Tim Robbins and Common.
Prime Video drew substantial attention by releasing a trailer for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3, which arrives on November 11 with new cast members Simon Pegg voicing the Balrog, Eddie Marsan as Thrain, and Andrew Richardson as Anárion. The platform also debuted a cyberpunk adaptation trailer for Neuromancer starring Callum Turner as hacker Case, as well as Mike Flanagan’s Carrie miniseries starring Summer H. Howell, scheduled for an October 7 premiere.
Marvel Gaming and Comics Expands Across Platforms
In addition to cinematic updates, Insomniac Games debuted a story trailer for Marvel’s Wolverine during an appearance in Hall H, showing Logan confronting Jean Grey alongside foes like the Hand and Deathstrike. Marvel also detailed its comic publishing slate, including Chip Zdarsky’s upcoming Avengers (2026) series and Christopher Yost and Tony S. Daniel’s Maximum X-Men (2026).
Writer Joshua Williamson outlined a double-shipping schedule for the ongoing Iron Man (2026) series leading up to issue #700 in March 2027. The milestone run will split between Carmen Carnero illustrating an incarcerated Tony Stark and Gleb Melnikov drawing James “Rhodey” Rhodes leading a new team of Armored Warriors.
