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Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ryan Reynolds had an R-rated Star Wars story he pitched to Disney that might've gotten emotional
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. If Disney were in a daring mood, we might've heard a different F-word other than "Force" filling the Star Wars universe if Ryan Reynolds had gotten his way. The Deadpool star recently revealed on The Box Office Podcast (via Slash Film) with Scott Mendelson that he'd approached the studio with an idea for a Star Wars movie that wouldn't have been family-friendly. While no specific details were shared, he did explain that it would've been an R-rated movie, which ultimately got turned down. For Reynolds, it comes as no surprise, but it does still confuse the star as to why, even now, some studios are still scared to take a break from playing it safe. "I pitched to Disney, I said, 'Why don't we do an R-rated Star Wars property? It doesn't have to be overt, A+ characters, there's a wide range of characters you could use,'" Reynolds recalled. If there's anyone who knows what makes an R-rated movie a hit, it's Reynolds, whose Deadpool franchise has now ventured into the billions with the last instalment, Deadpool & Wolverine, being the fifth biggest MCU movie ever and the most successful R-rated movie of all time. "And I don't mean R-rated to be vulgar, R-rated as a Trojan Horse for emotion. I always wonder why studios don't want to just gamble on something like that." While big screen efforts within the Star Wars universe have kept things pretty safe (ignoring the lightsaber decapitations and tortured characters burning to a crisp, of course), one chapter within the galaxy far, far away that has indeed embarked into more mature territory lately was season 2 of Andor. Some of its characters have endured experiences that have never been highlighted in the franchise until now, suggesting that there might be space for more similar elements in the future. In the case of Reynolds' idea, though, the actor made it clear he wasn't even concerned about being in front of the camera to tell whatever story he had in mind. "I'm not saying I'd want to be in it. That would be a bad fit. I'd want to produce and write or be a part behind the scenes. Those kinds of IP exist very well on scarcity and surprise. We don't get scarcity really with Star Wars because of Disney+, but you can certainly still surprise people." While Reynolds' tale might not see screens, plenty of other Star Wars stories are waiting to be told on Disney's schedule. Check out every upcoming venture into the galaxy far, far away that's set to arrive in film and television here.
Hindustan Times
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
After Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds now wants to make an R-rated Star Wars project: ‘I want to be a part of behind the scenes'
Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds recently shared that he brought a fresh Star Wars concept to Disney's doorstep — one that would take the galaxy far, far away into more mature, emotionally complex territory. Speaking on The Box Office Podcast, the actor revealed, "I pitched to Disney, I said, 'Why don't we do an R-rated Star Wars property?'" "It doesn't have to be overt, A+ characters, there's a wide range of characters you could use, and I don't mean R-rated to be vulgar. R-rated is a Trojan horse for emotion. I always wonder why studios don't want to just gamble on something like that," he added. The proposal comes at a time when Ryan, now ranked as the world's second-highest paid actor following the massive success of his Marvel crossover project, Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024, has increasingly stepped into producing and creative development roles. Since taking on a producer's mantle with Deadpool in 2016, he's leaned further into storytelling from behind the scenes. Addressing assumptions about whether he'd want to star in the proposed Star Wars project, he clarified, "I'm not saying I want to be in it — that would be a bad fit. I would want to produce and write or be a part of behind the scenes." The idea of a riskier, emotionally potent Star Wars installment isn't without precedent. The franchise, which originated with George Lucas' Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope in 1977, has long embraced weighty emotional arcs and political nuance — themes that have since carried over into various spinoffs like The Mandalorian and Andor. Ryan seemed to be referencing these series when reflecting on how Star Wars has evolved, particularly in terms of its presence on streaming platforms. He contrasted the experience of watching movies in theaters with streaming at home, saying, "You're never going to get the same emotional investment from a streamer that you are from a theatrical movie, because they're getting in cars and paying for parking, and babysitters, and sitting down, and watching the movie, and then driving home. That's the emotional investment you can try to sell." In his view, a bolder rating could help compensate for the lower emotional buy-in that typically accompanies home viewing. 'On a streamer, my only note, always, is that, for God's sake, with everything you can, to grab them in that first shot, like that first thing that happens in the movie... Start with something, 'Holy s**t!' and then, 'How did we get here?'' he emphasised. 'Streamers, I think that model is even more important because we have all these distracto-fat things clogging our arteries of attention, and it is so easy to tune out unless you have them right at the top," Ryan added.
