Ryan Gosling is one of the world's biggest movie stars. As the lead of a new "Star Wars" chapter, fans are linking him with another one of the world's biggest franchises: The Avengers. Now, thanks to internet speculation and to new developments in the world of comic books, Gosling's name is being linked with one of the MCU's biggest heroes: Black Panther.
Some background. Over the past week, as speculation surrounding "Avengers: Doomsday" has risen due to the film entering its production stage, fans have begun sharing their craziest and most exciting theories, including the possibility of Gosling's secret casting as the character of Ghost Rider.
According to the website Super Hero Hype, these rumors are not that off base; in the past, MCU head Kevin Feige revealed he would love to create a space for Gosling somewhere in the MCU.
The link between Black Panther and Gosling, explained
The rumors linking Gosling to Black Panther are a little bit more difficult to explain. It all started with a meme of Gosling's photoshopped face in Black Panther's body. While it clearly wasn't serious, the comic books have taken an interesting turn, with the first issue of "Marvel Knights: The World to Come" introducing a new Black Panther.
The character is called Ketema and is white, prompting some fans to theorize about Gosling and the possibility of him taking over the role.
Still, this is all just internet speculation. It would also be strange for the MCU to recast Black Panther as a white character after the film has made such an impact in the Black community and Black filmmaking overall.
More details about Avengers: Doomsday
"Avengers: Doomsday" is the fifth Avengers film, pitting this generation of superheroes against Doctor Doom, played by Robert Downey Jr. Not much is known about the film, only that it stars one of the most iconic villains in the franchise, and will reunite a new generation of heroes that has been introduced over the past couple of films.
"Avengers: Doomsday" is scheduled for release on December 18th, 2026.