by Ryan Reynolds has established himself as one of Hollywood’s leading men through his starring roles in blockbuster comedies and action films. With a career spanning over two decades, Reynolds has appeared in dozens of movies spanning many different genres. However, not every film is equally enjoyable to watch, even for the actors involved. While Reynolds is always professional about his work, there are likely some movies in his filmography that he may personally dislike watching now. Here are some educated guesses about three types of films Ryan Reynolds probably doesn’t revisit frequently based on what is known about his preferences and career.
Box Office and Critical Flops
No actor wants to be associated with movies that are commercial and critical failures. Even though they don’t have direct control over a film’s reception or box office performance, major flops can still be career setbacks. Reynolds has starred in a handful of movies over the years that were widely considered disappointments both financially and critically. Two films in particular stand out as possible movies Reynolds may not be eager to rewatch – 2011’s Green Lantern and 2013’s R.I.P.D.
Green Lantern was Reynolds’ first attempt at leading a major superhero franchise. Unfortunately, the movie was a box office bomb, grossing just $219 million worldwide against a $200 million budget. Reviews also slammed the film, with a 26% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Green Lantern signaled the end of Reynolds’ short-lived attempt to break out as a serious action hero leading tentpole films. He has since leaned harder into comedy. As one of the biggest flops of his career, Reynolds may want to forget his association with Green Lantern.
Released two years later, R.I.P.D. fared even worse, grossing a paltry $78 million against a $130 million budget. Critics were even more scathing of the supernatural buddy cop comedy, giving it a dismal 10% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. With both films losing tens of millions for their studios, it’s unlikely Reynolds looks back on Green Lantern or R.I.P.D. with any fondness. As box office poison and career low points, these two films are probably off Reynolds’ rewatch list.
Heavy CGI Films
While CGI is a necessity in many modern blockbusters, Reynolds has expressed a preference for practical effects and real stunt work whenever possible. In interviews, he’s discussed enjoying the physicality of roles like Deadpool that don’t rely too heavily on green screen. Some of Reynolds’ other movies have been quite reliant on digital effects to bring their fantastical worlds and characters to life. This level of CGI dependency may make them less enjoyable watches for Reynolds now.
Two Reynolds films that fit this mold are The Croods and Green Lantern. As the first lead CGI character he voiced, Reynolds’ performance as Guy in The Croods (2013) was entirely animated. While a financial success, voicing a cartoon character removed Reynolds from performing actual stunts or scenes with other actors. Green Lantern similarly saw Reynolds spend much of the film acting opposite green screen as the effects-heavy title hero.
More recently, Reynolds took on another animated role in the Pokemon film Detective Pikachu (2019). But this time, his facial capture performance as the adorable Pikachu allowed for live-action scenes with co-stars. Detective Pikachu blended CGI and practical elements in a way heavy green screen films like Green Lantern did not. For an actor who values physicality, movies reliant on digital characters and environments may not have strong rewatch value for Reynolds down the line.
Serious Dramatic Roles
While Reynolds can certainly handle more serious roles, his comedic talents and penchant for action are arguably what he’s best known for. Some of Reynolds’ dramatic roles over the years may not have allowed him to fully showcase the comedic timing and charisma that have defined his career. Rewatching some of these straighter dramatic performances years later may not appeal as much to Reynolds now that he’s found comedy and action stardom.
Two dramatic films Reynolds starred in early in his career fall into this category – The Amityville Horror (2005) and Buried (2010). As one of his first major starring roles, The Amityville Horror cast Reynolds against type as a young husband haunted by a possessed house. Buried saw him confined for the entire film inside a coffin, calling on friends for help – an undeniably intense premise with little opportunity for levity.
While both films earned Reynolds critical praise, they arrived before he fully came into his own as a comedic leading man. Today, revisiting such grim, serious roles may not interest Reynolds as much as his crowd-pleasing comedies. He’s found far greater success and acclaim channeling his comedic talents into films like The Proposal and the Deadpool franchise. As an established comedy star, straight dramatic rewatches are less enticing for Reynolds now.
Of course, this is all speculation. As a consummate professional, Reynolds has always spoken supportively about all his roles regardless of commercial performance or genre. He may very well still enjoy aspects of movies like Green Lantern for the experience of making them, even if their box office reception disappointed. And Reynolds is no doubt proud of his early dramatic work helping to build his career.
Ultimately, only Reynolds himself knows for certain which, if any, of his films hold little rewatch value. But looking at his clear preference for comedy and action today, as well as box office bombs and CGI-heavy movies from his past, provide reasonable guesses about films he may be less inclined to revisit regularly. Reynolds’ tastes have undoubtedly evolved as he’s cemented his status as a comedy icon. While his entire filmography deserves respect, some roles from earlier in his career likely don’t resonate as strongly with the comedic superstar he is now.
