Connor Storrie in Talks to Play Villain Opposite Ryan Gosling in Marvel's Ghost Rider
Connor Storrie is in talks to play the villain opposite Ryan Gosling in Marvel Studios’ upcoming Ghost Rider film, The Hollywood Reporter first reported on Tuesday, with Variety and Deadline confirming the talks. No character has been named, and the casting has not been officially announced.
What the reports say
Variety reported that Storrie is in talks to play the film’s villain, while Deadline described him as circling a role and said sources had identified him as the film’s reported villain, while also noting that the specific part has not been disclosed. The Hollywood Reporter first broke the news of Storrie’s potential casting, according to the subsequent reports. Marvel Studios does not comment on casting and declined to comment on this report, Deadline reported.
The reports agree Storrie is being considered for a role opposite Gosling, but they name no character and present no completed deal. For now, it remains a negotiation in progress, not a confirmed announcement.
The film taking shape
Shawn Levy is directing Ghost Rider from a script by Jonathan Tropper, Variety reported, and the film is slated for release on 28 July 2028. Gosling is set to play Johnny Blaze, the motorcycle stunt performer who becomes the supernatural Spirit of Vengeance, according to the reports. Gosling’s casting was announced at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2026, and production is expected to begin in 2027, Deadline reported.
The project reunites Gosling with Levy and Tropper after Star Wars: Starfighter, which Disney and Lucasfilm are releasing in May 2027, according to the reports. Nicolas Cage previously played the character in two earlier films, in 2007 and 2011.
Storrie’s rapid rise
Storrie shot to wider fame playing Russian hockey star Ilya Romanov in Heated Rivalry, the hockey romance series that debuted in November 2025, Variety reported. According to Variety, the Texas native was waiting tables at a restaurant in Culver City before he was offered the role that changed his career. He has since earned a Primetime Emmy nomination for guest-hosting Saturday Night Live and taken a supporting role opposite Billie Eilish in Sarah Polley’s film adaptation of The Bell Jar, Variety reported.
A second season of Heated Rivalry is now filming and is due on HBO Max next spring, Variety reported. If the talks lead to a deal, Storrie would face Gosling in a Marvel film built around fire and speed.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, via Variety and Deadline reporting, 27 October 2026; Variety, 27 October 2026; Deadline, 27 October 2026.