To know Ryan Reynolds is to love Ryan Reynolds. Before the actor charmed the pants off audiences everywhere with The Proposal, he was hard at work making a name for himself with acting roles dating all the way back to 1991.
The Proposal marked a distinct moment in Reynolds’ career. The role, which he played alongside big names like Betty White and Sandra Bullock, made him a household name, and since then we’ve come to know him as an actor with on-screen charm and off-screen personality. Reynolds’ pivot to live-action superhero roles was perhaps his best career move yet, as his portrayal as Deadpool has shot him into the stratosphere. One could argue that his version of the antihero will be the best adaptation of the character we’ll ever get.
Now, as Reynolds reaps the fruit of the last two decades of labor, he’s choosing to take a break from acting to spend more time with his family, or so he said. The announcement came in October 2021 and has since then caused a bit of confusion amongst fans who haven’t noticed a lull in Reynolds’ output. In 2021 alone, he released the films Free Guy, The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, and Red Notice. In March of 2022, while he was supposedly in the middle of his sabbatical, Reynolds came out with The Adam Project, a film about a time-traveling fighter pilot who goes back in time to team up with his 12-year-old self in order to save the future.
Whether or not Reynolds is still on his “break” is unknown, but one thing is certain: the number of projects he has in the pipeline suggest that said break won’t last long. Here’s a look at every upcoming Ryan Reynolds movie being released in 2022 and beyond.
Spirited (Holidays 2022)
In this Christmas Carol-inspired musical, Reynolds will play the iconic Ebeneezer Scrooge alongside Will Ferrell, who will play the Ghost of Christmas Present. This star-studded Christmas-themed musical, which will also star Octavia Spencer, will be released later this year on Apple TV Plus, presumably during Christmastime. If you have any concerns about how well Reynolds can hold a tune, look no further than this 2018 clip of the actor/singer on the South Korean Masked Singer competition.
Imaginary Friends (November 2023)
There hasn’t been much news about Imaginary Friends since the film was first announced in 2019, but from what we know about the plot so far, the movie seems pretty self-explanatory. It’s about a young man, Reynolds, who can interact with people’s imaginary friends. That’s about all we know ⏤ at least for now. Reynolds will star alongside John Krasinski, who will also write and direct the film. The movie will be made by Paramount Pictures.
Futha Mucka (TBD)
The animated series Futha Mucka was originally scheduled to premiere on Quibi a couple years ago, but the streaming service has since crashed and burned, leaving the future of the film up in the air. The new release date is currently unknown, as is where it will be housed, although it has been rumored to become a Roku Original. Reynolds will team up with Samuel L. Jackson again in what will be voice-over extravaganza sure to tickle more than a few stitches. The logline, originally released by Quibi, gave us a sneak peek of what to expect from the series. Now that Quibi is no longer in the picture, it is unknown whether this logline will remain, although it likely will:
“Samuel L. Jackson and Ryan Reynolds love each other. More accurately, Ryan loves Sam. When asked for comment on his feelings for Ryan, Sam said ‘Tell them I couldn’t be reached for comment.’ When a minor mishap causes Sam to become Ryan’s primary caregiver, sh*t gets weird. Ryan is delighted to spend all of his time with Sam. Sam couldn’t be reached for comment.”
Everyday Parenting Tips (TBD)
Reynolds will flex his producing chops in this New Yorker article-inspired film about a dad (Reynolds) struggling to raise his children while living in a world that has been taken over by monsters. Reynolds will fight this Great Monster Uprising with the director of Paddington, Paul King, at the helm. This isn’t the first time a film has been adapted from a viral article ⏤ the famous Coyote Ugly movie starring Tyra Banks was also adapted from viral GQ piece. While these two films don’t share anything in common, they are good examples of the creative freedom this kind of adaptation allows, so our hopes are high for Everyday Parenting Tips. The movie is currently in pre-production and as of now, there is no news about when it will be released. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
Deadpool 3 (TBD)
Easily his most exciting lineup amongst the bunch is Reynolds’ return to the fan-favorite antihero in Deadpool 3. Out of all the roles Reynolds has played, there’s no denying that he was born to play Deadpool. Additionally, it’s easy to understand why Hollywood was so eager to greenlight the threequel, as the first two films grossed over $1.5 billion at the box office ⏤ enough to make any studio salivate over the future potential earnings. To make sure this one is as witty as the last, Bob’s Burgers writers Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Loeglin have been brought on to write the script, so have no fear, it will be funny.
Dragon’s Lair (TBD)
Dragon’s Lair has been in talks for quite a while now, with back-and-forth rumors speculating whether or not it’s been cancelled. No official word on the matter has been released, so as it stands, the film is still happening. This arcade game-inspired movie will see Reynolds as the heroic knight fighting to rescue a princess from an evil dragon and a wizard. It’s also been speculated that the film will be live-action, but that hasn’t been confirmed yet. Whether it’s live-action or animated, Reynolds will surely bring his signature comedic charm to the role. Although the movie is expected to release on Netflix in 2022, there’s been no official announcement on the matter. We will provide updated information as soon as it becomes available.
Clue
Reynalds will yet again keep with the theme of game adaptations in this reboot of the board game-inspired movie Clue. After the wildly cult-classic success of the 1985 film, there’s a lot on the line for this comedic murder mystery. With not many board game-inspired films to compare it to, this Clue reboot will no doubt be heavily scrutinized and compared to its predecessor. Who Reynolds will play in the film is still unknown, but we do know that he’ll produce the movie and Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick will write the screenplay. While Jason Bateman had been previously in talks to co-star and direct the film, that is no longer the case. Instead, James Bobin (Dora and the Lost City of Gold) is now in talks to direct it, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Because the film is still in the very early stages of development, there is no official release date yet. We will provide more information as it becomes available.
As you can tell, it doesn’t appear that Reynolds has slowed down or indulged in that “break” he said he was supposed to be taking. With over half a dozen films in the pipeline, we can expect to see a lot more of the actor in the coming years. The question is: which movie are you most excited for?