Ryan Reynolds will star in the new action-comedy Shotgun Wedding from director Jason Moore. In recent years, Reynolds' profile in Hollywood has risen to great heights, largely due to the success of his Deadpool films. While the actor had amassed several credits prior to the Merc With a Mouth's first solo venture, 2016's Deadpool was the movie that really established Reynolds' leading man chops. Since that title's record-breaking box office run, Reynolds headlined The Hitman's Bodyguard (which is getting a sequel) and Michael Bay's 6 Underground (due on Netflix this year).
Because of the impending Disney/Fox acquisition, the future of the Deadpool franchise is in a state of flux; recently, planned spinoff X-Force was put on hold. Reynolds is confident Deadpool 3 will move forward, but in the meantime, he's finding different projects to keep himself busy. In addition to his voice-over role as the titular Detective Pikachu, he signed on for the Truman Show-esque film Free Guy and is producing a horror movie based on a Reddit story. Now, Reynolds will showcase his talents in another action-comedy.
Related: In-Development Fox Movies Likely Canceled By Disney Purchase
According to Deadline, Reynolds will star in Shotgun Wedding and produce under his Maximum Effort banner. Filming is set to commence this summer, with Moore currently looking to round out the cast. The movie's plot revolves around a couple's attempt to save their families from criminals during their destination wedding.
It's easy to see why Reynolds would be deemed a strong fit for this material. He's a veteran of the rom-com genre (The Proposal is a notable example) and has proven he can handle action as well. Shotgun Wedding will allow him an opportunity to blend those two sides into something that's (hopefully) entertaining and heartfelt. Based on the premise, it sounds like Reynolds will be co-headlining with the female lead. The onus will be on Moore to find someone who's not only up for the physical demands of an action movie, but also has the comedic timing to keep up with Reynolds. In all likelihood, the fast-talking actor will be up to his usual tricks in Shotgun Wedding, which includes his penchant for improvisation. Undoubtedly, the success of the movie will depend on the chemistry between Reynolds and his onscreen bride-to-be.
For Moore, this will be his first directorial effort since 2015's Sisters, the Tina Fey/Amy Poehler comedy that was released in the shadow of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Sisters received generally positive reviews, with many critics stating the performances of its stars helped elevate the final product. Of course, that could be attributed to Fey and Poehler's longstanding friendship that predates Sisters, but it's nevertheless encouraging Moore was able to get dedicated turns out of his stars. Ideally, he'll have the same results with Shotgun Wedding, and even if it doesn't reinvent its genre, it'll still make for a fun time at the movies.
More: X-Force Will Release Before Deadpool 3 (If They Happen)
Source: Deadline