The 10 Highest Grossing Ryan Reynolds Movies Ranked
Ryan Reynolds earned his way to the top of Hollywood A-Listers. The Canadian born actor began his career on a Canadian soap opera, Hillside, in 1991. He had many television and film roles during the 1990’s. Reynolds took on many different roles but always clearly showed his talent as a comedic actor who could deliver sharp one liners and facial expressions. Ryan Reynolds worked hard to get where he’s at as an actor and has become one of the top A-List actors of his time.
10. The Hitman’s Bodyguard – $172 million
Ryan Reynold starred with Samuel L. Jackson in 2017’s comedy action film The Hitman’s Bodyguard and its 2021 sequel, The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard. The first movie is the tenth highest grossing film of Reynolds’ career. It earned $172 million at the box office. Unfortunately, the movie opened on Labor Day Weekend in 2017 which was one of the worst Labor Day openings in history for all films. It’s a good movie though. Reynolds plays a top protection agent who is made to guard Samuel L. Jackson’s notorious hitman character. The two had been enemies prior to this. There’s a lot of high speed car and boat chases and a lot of comic banter. The movie’s good, but it’s pretty much an action comedy cliche. Reynolds always does well with comedic banter though.
9. Safe House – $208 million
Safe House is another action movie for Reynolds and was pretty successful at the box office. The 2012 film finds Reynolds as a rookie CIA agent, Matt Weston, trying to prove himself. Assigned to an inactive South African post, he’s tasked to de-brief Tobin Frost played by Samuel L. Jackson. They’re attacked by mercenaries, escape, and are forced to join forces to survive and find out who wants them dead. This was Reynolds’ first big lead role in a movie. It’s an action thriller which doesn’t include Reynolds’ typical wise cracking comedy with great one liners. It was good though. Critics complained about the thin script and choppy editing in the action scenes. The movie did well at the box office and set Reynolds off on a new trajectory in his film career.
8. Green Lantern – $219 million
In Green Lantern, Ryan Reynolds played super hero Hal Jordan. It was his first lead role in a movie. It’s also the film that he met his co-star and future wife Blake Lively. Green Lantern is a DC Comics super hero film. Although it grossed $219 million, the movie had a $200 million budget. Reynolds has always poked fun at himself about it. Unfortunately, its planned sequel was canceled. In the movie, Reynolds’ Hal Jorden is the first human to join the Green Lantern Corporation. Their mission is to preserve intergalactic order. Jordan is a gifted and cocky test pilot, who despite the Sorporation’s skepticism, is successful in his mission. Critics called the sci-fi film goofy. However, Reynolds was praised despite the movie.
7. Turbo – $286 million
2013 was the year Ryan Reynolds took on voice roles. Along with The Croods, Reynolds voiced a character in the 2013 movie Turbo. Turbo was produced by DreamWorks Animation. Reynolds voices the character of Turbo, a snail obsessed with speed and wanting to become a racer. In a crazy accident, the snail develops power and speed. He enters the Indianapolis 500, and along with the encouragement of his pit crew, wins the race. Of course the movies’ theme is obvious. Its an underdog following his dreams story. The film had mixed reviews, but ultimately, its considered good because of its visual effects, charm, and humor. Reynolds is always good at wise cracking humor. The film’s other voice actors include Snoop Dogg, Paul Giamatti, Maya Rudolph, and Bill Hader. Bill Soren wrote the screenplay and directed Turbo.
6. The Proposal – $315 million
Ryan Reynolds starred with Sandra Bullock in the successful box office film The Proposal in 2009. The Romantic Comedy has been criticized for its recycled theme, but Reynolds, Bullock, and Betty White’s comedy is classic. In the movie, Bullock’s character, Margaret Tate, is a powerful editor in chief threatened when her Visa is renewal is denied. She’s Canadian and working in New York City. Not wanting to lose her job, she recruits her hapless assistant, Ryan Reynolds as Andrew Paxton, to pretend to be her fiance. He reluctantly agrees but with some stipulations. Most importantly, Paxton wants Tate to meet his eccentric family in Alaska. Comedy and pratfalls ensue. His family includes his parents played by Craig T. Nelson and Mary Steenburger, and his grandmother played by the great Betty White. Bullock is great at physical comedy, and Reynolds, as always, can deliver a line or a look for great comic impact.
5. X-Men Origins-Wolverine – $375 million
Ryan Reynolds played the Marvel Comic Super Hero he would make famous less than a decade later when he was in X-Men Origins Wolverine in 2009. He played Wade Wilson who would become Deadpool. 2009’s X-Men Origins-Wolverine focuses on Hugh Jackman’s character Logan before he becomes Woverine. The film was a box office success earning $375 million. The movie was meant to re-brand the X-Men franchise by telling the origin story of how Logan became Woverine. Reynolds was supposed to have a cameo as the future Deadpool, but the part became fuller. It shows how Wade Wilson became a katana wielding, wise cracking mercenary, although not yet with the red suit and mask. The Marvel Comics character was named Deadpool because he pulled all of the other mutants’ powers into him. Although the movie did well at the box offices, studios were actually hoping for more.
4. Detective Pikachu – $430 million
In 2019 Ryan Reynolds voiced Detective Pikachu in the animated movie based on a popular Nintendo video game. This was the first live action CGI film made in the Pokémon Universe. The animated film did very well at the box office, Reynolds voiced Pikachu, once owned by detective Harry Goodman who has gone missing. Goodman’s son Tim, the only human who can talk with Pikachu enlists the pokémon, to find Tim’s missing father. Reynolds is at his best voicing the wise cracking Pikachu. Other voice actors in Detective Pikachu include Bill Nighy, Ken Watanabe, Justice Smith, Kathryn Newton, and Suki Waterhouse.
3. The Croods – $573 million
Ryan Reynolds voiced a character in The Croods the same year he voiced Turbo, 2013. The Croods was a successful DreamWorks Animation produced movie, grossing $573 million. The Croods spawned a Netflix series but not with its original voice stars. In The Croods, Reynolds plays an evolved caveman, Guy, who helps a less evolved caveman clan understand that there is impending doom to their world. The Croods’ includes Nicolas Casge as the dad, Catherine Keener as the mom, Emma Stone as the daughter, Clark Duke as the son, and Cloriss Leachman as the Gran. The Croods was an international success. It was the fourth grossing animated film in 2013, but only because it came out when Frozen, Monsters University, and Despicable Me 2 came out that year. John Cleese wrote the story.
2. Deadpool 2 – $786 million
The sequel to 2016’s Deadpool was in the works before the original was finished and released in 2018. Deadpool’s potential sequel already had hopes of box office success. Deadpool 2 continues he story of superhero, vigilante Deadpool continuing his fight for justice. Ryan Reynolds continues to bring life to this character with his humor, candidness, and quest for justice as he has since X-Men Origins-Wolverine. In Deadpool 2, the hero, Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool, brings together a team to help others with tormented souls. There are some deep story moments but always classic wild humor, and of course, Ryan Reynolds brings Wilson to life with his classic one liners.
1. Deadpool – $800 million
Deadpool is not only Ryan Reynolds’ highest grossing movie, but it’s also the highest grossing of any X-Men spin off. Ryan Reynolds reprises his role from X-Men Origins-Wolverine which delved into the origins of Deadpool. In this film, Wade Wilson is facing cancer and enlists evil scientist Ajax for help. The result is Wilson’s almost death, recovery from cancer, disfigurement, and becoming Deadpool with super human powers and a vendetta against Ajax. Reynolds helped get this long awaited movie going and is one of the films producers. There’s no other super hero like Deadpool.
