D23 2025: Marvel Reveals Its New X-Men Cast, a Fresh Avengers Doomsday Trailer and Ryan Gosling's Ghost Rider

Marvel closed out D23 2025 by confirming its new X-Men cast, dropping a second Avengers Doomsday trailer, and revealing Ryan Gosling as Ghost Rider, all inside one packed Disney Entertainment Showcase panel that we followed live from home since the event itself was not livestreamed.

This matters because Avengers Doomsday has already made history before a single frame has hit theaters, and D23 was the first place Marvel confirmed the actors who will actually play Jean Grey, Cyclops, Professor X, Emma Frost, Rogue and Storm in this rebooted team.

Doctor Doom's New Suit Suggests a "Casual" Look Separate From His Combat Gear

Before the panel even started, images circulated from the D23 show floor of Doom's new suit, which we noted looked different from the mask Doom wears in the Fantastic Four post-credit scene. We pointed out the suit still features what is "very clearly not Thor's hammer" on it, but rather what appears to be the crest from Doom's flag. Our read was that this is "a non-combative Ruler of Latveria suit" for a Doom who is scarred from the explosion tied to stopping an incursion, paired with a separate, more intimidating combat suit shown in trailer footage, since "the mask is way different" and a ruler might not want to look so intimidating in his everyday look.

X-Men Casting Rumors Built Before the Panel, Citing Jeff Sneider

Ahead of the official reveal, reporting attributed to Jeff Sneider indicated that Sadie Sink, Kit Connor, Christopher Abbott and Samara Weaving would be officially announced as part of the X-Men cast at D23, with Marvel said to still be finalizing contracts with two other actors who might also appear. We said we thought it would be "pretty cool" if that all came together, while noting we would simply have to wait and see.

Avengers Doomsday Presale Numbers and a Doom Attack on the TVA

During the stream we saw reports that Avengers Doomsday has already made over $20 million in domestic pre-sales four months before release, which was described as the biggest pre-sale total ever recorded this far ahead of a film's release date. We also saw claims that Doom will seemingly attack the TVA in Avengers Doomsday, based on footage showing the TVA looking cracked and damaged.

Vision Quest's First Trailer Shows Ultron's Human Form and a Possible New Son

D23 also brought the first trailer for Vision Quest, along with a first look at Ultron's human form, played again by James Spader, though we debated whether the image actually resembled him. In the trailer itself, Vision is shown revisiting memories and speaking with Ultron inside his own mind, with lines including "I was a different person back then," "this house is getting crowded," and a moment that suggested a possible son, with someone saying "it's a boy." We described the tone as "very WandaVision-esque" and said the trailer looked gorgeous.

Ryan Gosling's Ghost Rider Is Confirmed, With Mephisto in the Movie

We also discussed the confirmed casting of Ryan Gosling as Ghost Rider, explaining that Gosling met with Kevin Feige for years about the character without ever locking anything down, until Gosling began working with director Shawn Levy on a new Star Wars movie. According to what we said Feige has confirmed, Marvel was looking to get Levy to direct something else after Deadpool and Wolverine, and that connection is what finally got the Ghost Rider project moving, with Gosling reportedly bringing comic stories he wanted to adapt. We also noted Mephisto is going to be in the movie, calling the whole thing something that "excites me so much," and pointing out that Gosling's real-life wife played the love interest in the Nicolas Cage Ghost Rider movies.

Incredibles 3 and a New Kingdom Hearts Confirmed at the Disney Showcase

Beyond Marvel, Disney announced Incredibles 3 live at the Disney Entertainment Showcase, confirming it for summer 2028 with the Parr family returning and a plot involving Winston Deavor launching a sponsored superhero league now that supers are legal again. Disney also announced a Kingdom Hearts animated series along with Kingdom Hearts 4, which we saw dated for late 2027.

The Illegal Livestream We Were Watching Got Hit With DMCA Takedowns

For much of the night we tried to follow an unofficial livestream of the actual D23 panel from inside the venue, since Disney did not stream the presentation itself. That stream repeatedly cut out, and at one point a message appeared reading that the video had been removed following a copyright removal request from Disney Enterprises, right as the panel moved into its Star Wars and Marvel segments. We joked that Disney specifically targets streams during Marvel and Star Wars content, saying "the second you pull up Star Wars and stuff, they're like time to die."

The Full X-Men Cast Was Officially Revealed on Stage

Marvel then confirmed its new X-Men lineup: Christopher Abbott as Professor X, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Indya Moore as Rogue, and an actress identified as Maya Boyd playing Storm. We reacted in real time, saying "I really like Samar Weaving as Emma Frost, amazing. Indie Navarette as Rogue, amazing," while admitting some uncertainty about Kit Connor as Professor X specifically, saying we were "a little curious" about that choice but open to it.

Adam Driver Confirmed as Mr. Sinister, With a Deadpool Joke in the Background

Adam Driver was confirmed as Mr. Sinister through a recorded video message played at the panel, in which Driver joked about not being able to attend D23 in person and instead recording from what he called "this very lonely sound stage." We noted that in the background of that same video, Deadpool could reportedly be heard yelling for people to "follow the effing script," which we took as further confirmation that Deadpool and Wolverine are involved in Avengers Doomsday.

The New Avengers Doomsday Trailer, Line by Line

The event closed with the new Avengers Doomsday trailer. It opens with the line "Victor was always the smartest guy in every room," followed by "He used to be different. He used to be kind. He used to be caring," before a shot appears to show Magneto beaten up and the line "everything he loved was taken from him." Doom is then heard saying, "Did you do this? All of you have lived stolen lives. But now you must give them back," followed by "I swear you will beg for hell long before I grant it," and finally, "Hell answers to me... I am Doom." Our reaction on watching it live was simply, "That just blew me away."

Which X-Men casting choice from D23 has you the most excited, or the most unsure, Kit Connor as Professor X, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, or someone else entirely?