Ryan Reynolds is no stranger to embarrassing comic book adaptations; however, in an unexpected announcement, it seems almost a decade later, R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned may be able to fix the problems with his original R.I.P.D movie. Whether it’s Green Lantern or X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Reynolds in the past struggled to shine through critically panned and unmemorable comic book films, including R.I.P.D., a 2013 horror-comedy. Although Ryan Reynolds later got his opportunity to shine in films like the Deadpool series, it still raises the questions of why Universal would green light a sequel to R.I.P.D. and whether it can realize the series’ potential and rise above Ryan Reynolds’ worst movies.
Based on the Dark Horse comic of the same name, R.I.P.D. starred Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges as paranormal law enforcers tasked with bringing in souls attempting to escape final judgment. Reminiscent of films such as Men in Black, Hellboy, and Ghostbusters, despite its talented cast, the film failed to reach the same level of success and cultural relevancy, with most critics unimpressed by its derivative plot and bizarre sense of humor. However, despite failing to be the next supernatural buddy-cop comedy Universal Pictures hoped it would be, it was in 2022 that an MPA listing confirmed R.I.P.D.’s straight-to-video sequel with very few details beyond a PG-13 rating.
Whether Ryan Reynolds or movie icon Jeff Bridges are returning is unknown, but not unlike the undead detectives of R.I.P.D. that they portrayed, the series is getting a second chance. It may not make sense to invoke the name of an obscure comic book movie that didn’t take off, but it does present an opportunity to redeem it, which is likely why R.I.P.D. is getting a sequel rather than a remake. A series like R.I.P.D. can outlive a disappointing movie, a sequel can fix its past mistakes, and for it to expand to produce a successful franchise, sometimes all that’s needed is a new opportunity. This suggests that, whether Reynolds himself is actually part of the project or not, a more successful sequel could yet repair some of the damage done by his original R.I.P.D. movie.
Will R.I.P.D. 2 Really Work?
Ryan Reynolds was a champion of second chances, and after playing Deadpool in the lackluster X-Men Origins: Wolverine, he proved all he needed was a better script. Portraying the “merc with the mouth” in a series of successful spin-offs, Deadpool proved there can be life after a rough introduction. This was also true of other superhero films, such as Suicide Squad, which produced the more critically favorable Peacemaker series and The Suicide Squad. Meanwhile, movies like Ghostbusters: Afterlife, a sequel to the original 1984 film that relaunched the franchise after the divisive 2016 Ghostbusters movie reboot, were able to prove it’s never too late to save a series. R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned may not reunite Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges to save the universe, but with a better story, unique identity, and another chance to reach audiences, it can make sure their talent didn’t go to waste by building upon what they tried to establish. After all, if Universal didn’t see potential in the R.I.P.D. name almost a decade later, it’s unlikely it would use it for a sequel, albeit a straight-to-video one.
The original R.I.P.D. was a movie about redemption, and because of Universal, the series may, at last, find it. Ryan Reynolds might have moved on from this embarrassing comic book movie, but maybe R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned can do him justice by making the series a success and the horror-comedy franchise it intended to be back in 2013. Reboots, revivals, and sequels like this don’t always happen, but when studios green light them, there’s always potential to be better than what came before. As such, for all the first film's flaws, there's still a chance that R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned can indeed restore the earlier Reynolds' movie's reputation.