Marvel's SDCC 2026: Doomsday Backlash, RDJ's Doom, and Ryan Gosling's Ghost Rider

Marvel dominated Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 with a packed panel that included reveals for several upcoming projects, a Deadpool cameo, and candid conversations with key cast members. Among the biggest talking points were new details on "Avengers: Doomsday," including Kevin Feige's defense of the film's trailer following fan criticism that the MCU hasn't adequately built up to the event, a complaint that Feige addressed by pointing to precedent, noting that Thanos famously "sat on a chair" for years before his proper introduction.

Robert Downey Jr. opened up about the surreal experience of returning to the MCU not as Tony Stark, but as the villainous Doctor Doom, admitting the role left him feeling "isolated" from his former Avengers co-stars and describing the shift as "really weird." Meanwhile, Chris Evans revealed he turned down a Nomad solo movie and "dozens" of other Marvel pitches after "Avengers: Endgame," ultimately agreeing to return only after learning that Downey Jr. himself was coming back to the franchise. Rounding out the major announcements, Ryan Gosling was confirmed to be joining the MCU as Ghost Rider, with Feige revealing that Gosling, a self-described "huge fan" of the comics, personally pitched Marvel with a "specific vision" for the character drawn directly from the source material.

Sources