Ryan Reynolds took six years to make ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ because he didn’t want to be an ‘absentee’ dad
In a recent sit-down with actor Andrew Garfield for Variety’s Actors on Actors series, Reynolds shared why he thinks the “Deadpool” movies resonate with audiences, sharing that it could be due to “scarcity and surprise,” before adding he doesn’t know if there will be more.
“So it had been six years since the last one, and part of the reason is that it swallows my whole life,” he told Garfield when asked about plans for more movies in the franchise. “I have four kids, and I don’t ever want to be an absentee [dad]. I kind of die inside when I see their faces, and they do a sports thing or something and I missed it.”
RYAN REYNOLDS PRAISES MICHAEL J. FOX FOR HELPING HIS LATE FATHER WITH PARKINSON’S ‘FEEL LESS ALONE’
Reynolds took six years to make “Deadpool & Wolverine” partly because he wanted to be a present father. (Alexi Lubomirski for Variety)
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds attend The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” exhibition on May 2, 2022, in New York. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
The actor shares four children with wife Blake Lively: daughters James, 9, Inez, 7, Betty, 5, and son Olin, who was born in 2023.
Reynolds added that he’s unsure “what the future of ‘Deadpool’ will be,” but he is happy with the final product, explaining he “made the movie to be a complete experience” rather than using it as “a commercial for another one.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Reynolds reflected on what led him to step up as a producer for the film series, later going on to co-write the second and third installments as well. He recalled making “incredibly fulfilling” films which resonated with critics but failed to grab the attention of audiences, saying he had “to figure out how to work both sides of the room.”
“I have four kids, and I don’t ever want to be an absentee [dad]. I kind of die inside when I see their faces, and they do a sports thing or something and I missed it.”
— Ryan Reynolds
Reynolds and Garfield could relate on what it’s like not having any input when it comes to movie making. (Alexi Lubomirski for Variety)
He and Garfield related on the experience of being cast in blockbuster movies in which they “knew the stakes, but…had absolutely no input into what happens,” with Garfield saying it could make someone feel “like you’re a monkey rattling a cage.”
“It’s a terrible feeling,” Reynolds explained. “And when you do try to express the point of view and you say something that feels reasonable, like ‘Let’s stop spending on spectacle and let’s spend on character’ or ‘Why are we putting all the money in special effects when we could just write?,’ and that’s dismissed.”
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He continued, “If that happens a couple of times, you go, ‘I own the bomb.’ If I’m going to bomb, I want to be the architect of my own demise. I don’t want to be a passenger on someone else’s nosediving jet plane.”
Ryan Reynolds has experienced great success with the superhero movie series. (Associated Press)
“Deadpool & Wolverine” was the most highly anticipated movie of the summer when it premiered in July. It went on to gross over $1 billion at the box office globally.
The film brought back many beloved superhero characters, including Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Wesley Snipes as Blade, Jennifer Garner as Elektra, Chris Evans as Johnny Storm and introduced Channing Tatum as Gambit.
“I didn’t know that Elektra and I needed an ending, but Shawn and Ryan did,” Garner shared on Instagram about returning to the character. “They are gifted in many ways, but seeing and elevating people around them is at the top of the list.”
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Garner was happy to return to the role of Elektra in “Deadpool & Wolverine.” (Getty Images)
She continued: “Shauna [her stunt double] and I were in heaven on set with them, with my old pal @thehughjackman, @dafnekeen, @channingtatum, @realwesleysnipes. Shooting the fight was so fun, being there all together – truly like a dream. I’m proud of my friends and grateful to be up there with them. Thank you doesn’t cut it, guys, but it’s a good placeholder until I figure out what does.”
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Lori Bashian is an entertainment production assistant for Fox News Digital.
