Ryan Reynolds’ 2013 Box Office Flop Changed His Career

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Ryan Reynolds' 2013 Box Office Flop Changed His Career

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  • Reynolds Avoided Blockbusters After R.I.P.D.
  • Deadpool Transformed Reynolds’ Career

As a film enthusiast with a keen eye for spotting talent, I must say that Ryan Reynolds’ journey in Hollywood is nothing short of captivating. His dedication to his craft and his unwavering commitment to quality over commercial appeal is truly commendable.

It seems everything that Ryan Reynolds gets involved with these days is thriving, symbolically speaking. His current golden touch has expanded beyond his acting career, clearly demonstrated by the growth of his expanding business empire, such as his ownership of the Welsh football club Wrexham, as shown in the TV series “Welcome to Wrexham.” Apart from pop sensation Taylor Swift, it’s hard to find a more popular celebrity brand than Reynolds.

A decade ago, I found myself grappling with the aftermath of two major flops – the supernatural action comedy “R.I.P.D.” in 2013 and the superhero film “Green Lantern” in 2011. These setbacks threatened my Hollywood stardom and even forced me to step away from blockbuster films, reconsidering my career aspirations altogether. However, the triumphant success of “Deadpool” and “Wolverine” has certainly elevated my standing today, offering a stark contrast to those challenging times.

During this reflective phase, Reynolds compiled an eclectic and captivating body of work that stands out in his entire career. If Green Lantern and R.I.P.D. had lived up to their franchise expectations, it’s possible he wouldn’t have landed the role that catapulted him into stardom in the Deadpool series, a role that has revolutionized his career and made R.I.P.D. feel like a long-forgotten nightmare.

R.I.P.D. Is Ryan Reynolds’ Biggest Flop

Prior to his role in the supernatural action-comedy movie “R.I.P.D.”, Ryan Reynolds, who initially shone in the 2002 comedy film “Van Wilder”, achieved his highest commercial triumph as a lead actor with the 2009 romantic comedy “The Proposal” and the 2012 thriller “Safe House”. However, it was Sandra Bullock’s star power that largely contributed to the success of “The Proposal”, much like Denzel Washington in “Safe House”.

Among the two movies he appeared in, Reynolds took on the role of the main character in “Green Lantern”. This role proved to be a significant challenge for him, as it was one of the toughest tests of his acting prowess up until then. The budget for this film was an impressive $200 million and its purpose was twofold: to initiate the DC Extended Universe and establish a “Green Lantern” movie franchise. Regrettably, “Green Lantern” did not meet expectations, earning only about $220 million globally at the box office. This underperformance effectively halted these plans and cast doubts on Reynolds’ ability to draw audiences to the movies.

Even though the movie Green Lantern didn’t succeed, Ryan Reynolds still decided to take on the role in R.I.P.D., which is based on a comic book series from 1999. In this film, Reynolds portrays Nick Walker, a Boston cop who, after being deceived and killed by his partner, gets enlisted into the Rest in Peace Department. Here, Nick transforms into an elderly Asian man when he’s alive, while Jeff Bridges plays his partner, a long-dead Old West lawman.

Following a disappointing opening weekend earnings of $12.7 million, significantly lower than the $53 million domestic debut of Green Lantern, the critically panned R.I.P.D. concluded its cinematic journey with a meager $33.6 million domestic gross and a global total below $80 million. R.I.P.D., which suffered a substantial financial loss even greater than that of Green Lantern, emerged as one of the most financially disastrous films of its time, also earning notoriety for being one of the worst comic book adaptations in history. In a 2015 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Reynolds admitted:

“I’ve taken on movies I probably shouldn’t have, driven by the promise of payment. At the time, it seemed enticing and thrilling. When one first arrives in Hollywood, especially if you’re coming from where I come from, it’s easy to think, ‘Of course! I’m going to do that.’

Reynolds Avoided Blockbusters After R.I.P.D.

Ryan Reynolds' 2013 Box Office Flop Changed His CareerRyan Reynolds' 2013 Box Office Flop Changed His CareerRyan Reynolds' 2013 Box Office Flop Changed His Career

After the release of R.I.P.D., Ryan Reynolds decided to focus more on artistic merit rather than commercial success in his film choices. Following R.I.P.D., he starred in the 2014 horror comedy, The Voices, where he portrayed a mentally unstable factory worker who believes his pets are talking to him and urging him to commit murder. Despite receiving positive criticisms, The Voices earned only about $2.2 million at the box office.

In the relatively low-cost 2014 suspenseful movie “The Captive,” Ryan Reynolds delivers a compelling dramatic portrayal of a tormented father whose child is kidnapped. Unfortunately, this film by Atom Egoyan was met with unfavorable criticism and earned roughly $2 million at the cinema.

Nevertheless, after starring in “Captive,” Reynolds garnered some of the finest reviews of his acting career for his nuanced portrayal as a compulsive gambler in the 2015 comedy-drama movie “Mississippi Grind.” Despite receiving outstanding critical acclaim, this film only made around half a million dollars at the box office. During this time, Reynolds appeared unphased by his Hollywood fame, instead focusing on solidifying his reputation as a skilled character actor. In the 2015 biographical drama “Woman in Gold,” Reynolds seamlessly slips into the role of a young lawyer who assists an elderly Jewish woman, portrayed by Helen Mirren, in her quest to recover family heirlooms that were seized by the Nazis.

A standout role from Reynolds’ career can be traced back to a movie released before both “Green Lantern” and “R.I.P.D.”, namely the 2010 thriller “Buried”. In this film, Reynolds delivers an electrifying performance as a truck driver based in Iraq who finds himself trapped in a wooden coffin, with limited resources such as a lighter and a phone, which he can use to communicate with the outside world and potentially secure his freedom.

Deadpool Transformed Reynolds’ Career

Ryan Reynolds' 2013 Box Office Flop Changed His CareerRyan Reynolds' 2013 Box Office Flop Changed His CareerRyan Reynolds' 2013 Box Office Flop Changed His CareerRyan Reynolds' 2013 Box Office Flop Changed His Career

In terms of global ticket sales, the movie pairing Deadpool and Wolverine has shattered records, earning close to $1.3 billion, surpassing the previous record holder, Joker. The success of the Deadpool film franchise has significantly boosted Ryan Reynolds’ profile, with his signature witty Deadpool character permeating throughout his subsequent roles.

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2024-09-11 04:31