MCU Rumor: Ryan Gosling Met With Kevin Feige About A Major Cosmic Marvel Hero
It genuinely seems like it's a matter of when, not if, Ryan Gosling will join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fans have wanted him to play several characters over the years, and Gosling reportedly mentioned how he'd like to play Ghost Rider. Now, a rumor suggests Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige may have a different role for the Oscar nominee in mind, one that would see the actor as a different kind of "Rider."
Hollywood insider Daniel Richtman claimed on Patreon that Gosling has met with Feige to discuss various MCU roles, one of which is supposedly Nova, whose name in the comics is Richard Rider. While the post mentions several possibilities, it's interesting that Nova gets a special shoutout, suggesting that one may be more likely than the others. MCU fans have already seen the Nova Corps in action in "Guardians of the Galaxy." However, "Avengers: Infinity War" establishes that Thanos (Josh Brolin) annihilated the Nova Corps and Xandar while pursuing the Power Stone. It's possible Nova could be one of the last (if not the last) members of the Nova Corps in a future MCU project.
This information should be treated as a rumor, but there's little doubt Gosling would be a great addition to the MCU. And there's even fan art of Gosling as Nova, in case anyone wants a preview of how this casting could play out. After all, he's not just Ken.
Who is Marvel's Nova and what are his powers?
In Marvel Comics, the first Nova is Richard Rider. He is born on Earth but receives remarkable powers from Nova Corps member Rhomann Dey, the Nova Prime who seeks out someone who can take up his mantle upon the destruction of Xandar by the warlord Zorr. One would imagine this backstory would change in the MCU. Irani Rael (Glenn Close) is Nova Prime in "Guardians of the Galaxy," but Rhomann Dey also appears, played by John C. Reilly. One of them could've transferred their powers to Richard Rider before being killed at the hands of Thanos and his Black Order.
Such abilities include the typical superhero standbys, like enhanced strength, superior speed, and flight. However, Nova stands out through his use of energy manipulation, which has manifested in various ways. Through a power vessel known as the Nova Force, he can harness energy coming toward him and redirect it. He can also create forcefields and open hyperspace portals. Another interesting wrinkle in the character's powerset is his connection to the Xandar Worldmind, which contains all Xandarian knowledge and occasionally provides Nova with advice in the comics.
Nova is an exceptionally powerful superhero, and Richard Rider would be a character worthy of Ryan Gosling's talents. However, as of this writing, he hasn't been cast, meaning it'll likely be some time before a project gets off the ground. In March 2022, it was reported that "Moon Knight" writer Sabir Pirzada was working on something for Nova, so hopefully, more updates materialize soon.