Ryan Reynolds has revealed the reason behind his planned acting break. Since the early 2000’s, Reynolds has been a household name best known for his comedic roles. The actor has built a wide fan base by appearing in a variety of films, from rom-com The Proposal, to Detective Pikachu and, more recently, Disney's hit film Free Guy. Reynolds made his Marvel debut in his starring role in the Deadpool franchise. The actor first appeared on the big screen as Deadpool in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but it was his portrayal of the titular anti-hero in 2016’s R-rated original film Deadpool and its 2018 follow-up, Deadpool 2, that achieved praise from critics and comic fans alike.
Reynolds recently wrapped up filming for Apple TV +’s Christmas flick Spirited, which will be a modern recreation of Charles Dickens’ famous novel A Christmas Carol. The film also stars Will Ferrell as Ebenezer Scrooge, and Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer. In an Instagram post shared on his last day filming Spirited in October, Reynolds said it was the "perfect time for a little sabbatical from movie making."
Now, speaking to THR, Reynolds has explained the reasoning behind his newly-announced break, describing it as “an opportunity to be home.” The actor revealed that he will be taking time away from his profession until the end of next summer, at least. Reynolds has emphasized that he made the decision in an attempt to spend more time with his family, and “create a little bit more space.” Read Reynolds’ full comments below:
“I’m just trying to create a little bit more space for my family and time with them. You know, you don’t really get that time back ... I’ll probably be away from film, or at least shooting films, till the end of the summer. It just provides me an opportunity to be home.”
Since 2016, Reynolds has had a relentless schedule, appearing in over 10 films. Filming can take an actor away from their family for months at a time, and longer if re-shoots are necessary. After shooting has finished, actors are often required to devote long periods to press junkets and interviews in order to promote the film, which sometimes involves international travel and can last for weeks. It's not a surprise that, after such a long period of hard work, Reynolds is deciding to step back from acting to be with his wife, fellow Hollywood star Blake Lively, and their three daughters.
While Reynolds’ family is sure to be happy with his decision, fans of the actor will wonder how it might impact his future projects. Despite its commercial and critical success, the future of the Deadpool franchise has been uncertain since Disney bought the rights to a large number of X-Men characters, including Deadpool. MCU architect Kevin Feige has hinted that the foul-mouthed character will join the MCU in his next outing, but the Deadpool films have a reputation for their R-rated violence and language, and it's still unclear how this will mesh with the rest of the MCU’s content. Reynolds has suggested that Deadpool 3 could begin filming at some point in 2022, but with the actor’s break lasting until the end of the summer, the film likely wouldn’t be ready for release until late 2023. Nevertheless, a break will mean that when Ryan Reynolds does return to the black and red mask, he will be refreshed and ready to give another stand-out performance.
Source: THR