One might say that an actor in his prime with two blockbusters out in theaters and who is newly single might be having one of the best summers of his life.
Reynolds and then-wife Scarlett Johannson announced they were filing for divorce in December of last year, and rumors circulated that the couple were driven apart by divergent opinions on whether or not to have kids- friends say Ryan is a “family man,” while Johannson felt her career was “her baby.” Their divorce was finalized just a few weeks ago.
“Well,” you might say, “he’s still a super famous and successful movie star!” And you would be right- but, as BlackBook points out, his two big summer films have had middling at best performances this year- with the high profile Green Lantern expected to lose a significant sum when all is said and done at the box office:
Instead, Green Lantern is already out of theaters with a $114 million domestic tally (not nearly enough for a movie that cost a reported $200 million to make) and The Change-Up is well on its way to being the only R-rated comedy to flop in a summer defined by the success of R-rated comedies… Meanwhile, Ryan’s actor broheims are just murdering it. James Franco just bought himself a two year pass to paint, write, sing, and perform whatever he wants while still maintaining the cover of film stardom, while Ryan Gosling is, well, Ryan Gosling. Even Justin Timberlake is in a more enviable position right now, if only because he had the luck of not getting cast in Green Lantern .
Still, Reynolds is, at 34, in an excellent spot to maintain his position in Hollywood. His next release, CIA-thriller Safe House , stars box office teflon actor and Oscar-winner Denzel Washington, and is slated to hit theaters in 2012. And he’s set to co-star with another Academy Award recipient, Jeff Bridges, in the 2013 release R.I.P.D.
Lastly, rumors have also circulated that the tinseltown hunk may be rekindling things with Johannson after all. “Snoops” spotted the erstwhile marrieds out at an “intimate dinner,” and report that the ex-Mrs. Reynolds has been “texting and calling him non-stop since the dinner.” So maybe it’s not all bad for Reynolds.
Have you caught The Change Up or Green Lantern this summer? What did you think?
