Over the past few years, Ryan Reynolds has become synonymous with playing the title character of the Deadpool franchise (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription). The threequel Deadpool & Wolverine broke records and became the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever. That project has since been dethroned by Christopher Nolan’s movie The Odyssey, and now Reynolds has reacted to the book-to-screen adaptation dethroning his latest outing as Wade Wilson.
Folks who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order will recall the humble beginnings of the Deadpool franchise, which got produced largely thanks to that leaked footage. It’s now a beloved franchise, and Hugh Jackman’s return as Wolverine for the threequel resulted in insane box office numbers. But The Odyssey has dethroned it as the highest-grossing R-rated film, and in a clip from Variety’s Instagram, Reynolds was asked about that. He responded with:
Obviously, what an incredible, incredible movie, and Christopher Nolan literally breathes the rarest air on Earth. He’s a singular filmmaker. Matt Damon, Tom Holland, who is clearly batting 1,000, so is Zendaya.
It certainly sounds like the Green Lantern actor isn’t too sore about how Deadpool & Wolverine was beaten out by Nolan’s latest big-screen success. The Odyssey started raking in the dough immediately after being released, and it’s continued for weeks, as folks clamor to see the epic drama in IMAX. And while Marvel movies are capable of making a ton of money, Nolan’s reputation, the movie’s great cast, and The Odyssey‘s reviews resulted in folks showing up at theaters in a major way.
While Ryan Reynolds is known for his quick wit and sense of humor, he got real about the importance of movies being on the big screen and performing during their theatrical runs. In the same interview, the 49-year-old actor went on to say:
But I just love that people are going to the movie theater. I don’t even care why or for what reason, just go to the movie theaters. There’s no better shared experience, that collective effervescence. We’re all experiencing the same thing, at the same time, in the same way, and it bonds us together as a society. I just think it’s the best, I love it.
He’s not wrong. As much as streaming is popular and I love to watch movies from the comfort of my home, it doesn’t compare to the theatrical experience. This is especially true for some of my favorite genres. The best horror movies are even more powerful with an audience full of people sharing the experience. The same can also be said for comedies, because what’s more fun than being with a room full of people collectively laughing at the same joke?
Fingers crossed that Ryan Reynolds returns as Deadpool in upcoming Marvel movies soon, either with a fourth solo movie or in a crossover event like The Avengers. While his threequel is no longer the highest-grossing R-rated movie, smart money says his tenure as Wade Wilson is going to continue.
The Deadpool franchise is streaming on Disney+ now and The Odyssey is still in theaters as part of the 2026 movie release list.