Marvel Studios used its Saturday Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con to deliver one of its most packed presentations in years. The 7,000-person crowd was on its feet for most of it.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio opened with a surprise. A hidden stage in the back of the room was revealed, with cast members from Thunderbolts and the 2000s X-Men films appearing and walking the full length of the hall, high-fiving fans along the way. They joined a main stage that already held Pedro Pascal, Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, and Robert Downey Jr.
The biggest announcements came fast. Ryan Gosling will play Ghost Rider in a standalone film directed by Shawn Levy, who previously directed Deadpool and Wolverine and is also attached to Gosling's upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter. That film is set for a 2028 release.
Also announced: Alien: Romulus breakout David Jonsson will play the son of T'Challa in Black Panther 3, taking on the mantle of the Black Panther. That film is scheduled for December 15, 2028.
Ryan Reynolds also made an appearance. He was not part of the official panel and had not attended Apple TV's earlier presentation of his upcoming action comedy Mayday. He crashed the proceedings in costume, playing a character named Ricky but clearly appearing as Deadpool. He asked whether production on Avengers: Doomsday had begun and whether there was room to add new cast members through additional photography.
Downey responded in character. "It's in the can, bro. Look around you. Did you bump your head?" he told Reynolds. The crowd reacted with audible disappointment at the implication that Deadpool would not be joining the film.
The panel arrived at a delicate moment for Marvel. On Monday, the studio had released the trailer for Avengers: Doomsday, which broke viewing records but drew a mixed reaction. The Hollywood Reporter noted that, with a difficult slate since Avengers: Endgame in 2019, the company needed to show that Doomsday was not simply reaching back for past glories.
Saturday's presentation appeared to shift that mood. Marvel showed a Hall H-only extended cut of Doomsday footage that many fans described as what the initial trailer should have been, one that laid out the stakes more clearly. Every attendee received a Doom mask and cape. Downey, speaking in his Doctor Doom accent, asked the crowd to join his cause. They did.
The panel included light shows, pop music, and a steady stream of reveals that kept the audience standing. Each new announcement reset the energy in the room.
No further casting details for Ghost Rider or Black Panther 3 were announced at the panel.
