Ryan Reynolds has not been seen in a movie or TV show since starring in Deadpool & Wolverine, but one of the actor’s films is approaching its 10th anniversary and has found streaming success in America. Reynolds stars alongside Samuel L. Jackson in The Hitman’s Bodyguard, the 2017 action film following Michael Bryce (Reynolds), an agent tasked with protecting Darius Kincaid (Jackson), one of the world’s deadliest assassins. The Hitman’s Bodyguard, along with its sequel, Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, began streaming on Netflix at the beginning of this month, and the film has wasted no time earning a top spot in the streamer’s top 10. The Hitman’s Bodyguard earned scores of 44% from critics and 67% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, but it still grossed $183 million at the box office against a modest $30 million budget.
During a 2021 interview with PopCulture, Ryan Reynolds revealed his surprise that The Hitman’s Bodyguard earned a sequel, considering the first film was such a “Hail Mary.” It was a Hail Mary that led to a touchdown, though, thanks to the film grossing six times its budget, which certainly made the choice of greenlighting a sequel a no-brainer. However, if Lionsgate had known that the sequel would cost more than twice as much to produce and gross less than half the original at the box office, it might not have been so eager to revisit the story of Michael Bryce and Darius Kincaid. Patrick Hughes directed both Hitman’s Bodyguard movies with scripts from Tom O’Connor, but Phillip and Brandon Murphy also helped with the sequel. Hughes also worked with Jason Statham in 2014 on The Expendables 3.
Will Ryan Reynolds Ever Play Deadpool Again?
Although it has not been officially confirmed that Ryan Reynolds will reprise his role as Deadpool, it would be extremely surprising not to see him return to the role in some capacity in the future. Reynolds was not given a chair during the Avengers: Doomsday casting announcement, but this doesn’t mean he’s not in the film – Benedict Cumberbatch was also not given a chair, and he has been open about his role in the film. After the success of Deadpool & Wolverine, Marvel is surely planning the next way to utilize The Merc With a Mouth.
The Hitman’s Bodyguard and its sequel, Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, are two of the most popular movies on Netflix. Stay tuned to Collider for more streaming updates and coverage of Reynolds’ future projects.