Ryan Reynolds & The Rock Are Both Better Off With Disney Than Netflix

Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds star in Netflix’s Red Notice, and while they are two of the most popular actors at the moment, they are both better off with their work at Disney than Netflix. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, studios had to reorganize their schedules and make big decisions in order to determine what was going to happen to their biggest movies. Streaming platforms turned out to be the salvation for many, with services like Netflix and Disney+ housing many of the movies that skipped a theatrical release.

Netflix has been building an extensive catalogue of original content with TV shows and movies from different genres and for all ages, and among its latest additions to the action genre is Red Notice. Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, Red Notice follows John Hartley (Johnson), the FBI’s top profiler who when an Interpol-issued Red Notice goes out, immediately gets on the case. During this global pursuit that leaves him in the middle of a daring heist, he’s forced to partner with Nolan Booth (Reynolds), the world’s greatest art thief, in order to catch the world’s most wanted art thief: “The Bishop” (Gal Gadot). Johnson and Reynolds are a powerful comedy and action duo, but their most recent works prove that they thrive with Disney rather than with Netflix.

Both Johnson and Reynolds have had big projects released on Netflix and Disney+ in the last two years, covering action and comedy, and while they are two of the biggest names in Hollywood and have become some of the most profitable actors, their projects over at the Mouse House have been more successful and have a much brighter future. Dwayne Johnson recently starred in Jungle Cruise, a fantasy adventure movie that after being delayed due to the pandemic, was ultimately given a simultaneous release in theaters and on Disney+ through Premier Access in July 2021. Although it wasn’t the box office hit Disney was expecting, Jungle Cruise is getting a sequel, allowing Johnson to stay in Disney’s universe for a bit longer.

Ryan Reynolds, on the other hand, has two big hits on his hands thanks to Disney: Deadpool and Free Guy. Thanks to the Disney/Fox merge, Deadpool is now officially part of the Disney family and can be included in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the Merc with a Mouth can brag about being very successful and popular before he became Disney property. Deadpool and Deadpool 2 were critical and commercial hits and now a third movie is in development at Marvel Studios, but that’s not the only Ryan Reynolds project over at Disney. The sci-fi comedy Free Guy was also a box office and critical success, with Reynolds confirming that Disney wants a sequel. Now, the same can’t be said about Johnson and Reynolds’ Netflix projects.

Before Red Notice, Reynolds had already joined Netflix’s catalogue of action movies with Michael Bay’s 6 Underground, which follows a group of people who fake their deaths and form a vigilante team in order to stage a coup d’état against a dictator. 6 Underground was a huge disappointment for the studio, and even though there were plans for a sequel, these were canceled after its poor reception. As for Red Notice, it got a limited theatrical release a couple of days before hitting Netflix, and it got mostly negative reviews, meaning this could be the one and only Red Notice movie for Netflix. Ryan Reynolds and Dwayne Johnson have a much brighter future at Disney right now, and while their Netflix projects have crashed and burned, fans can continue following their work thanks to Jungle Cruise, Deadpool, and Free Guy.

About The Author

Adrienne Tyler
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Adrienne Tyler is a features writer for Screen Rant. She is an Audiovisual Communication graduate who wanted to be a filmmaker, but life had other plans (and it turned out great). Prior to Screen Rant, she wrote for Pop Wrapped, 4 Your Excitement (4YE), and D20Crit, where she was also a regular guest at Netfreaks podcast. She was also a contributor for FanSided’s BamSmackPow and 1428 Elm. Adrienne is very into films and she enjoys a bit of everything: from superhero films to heartbreaking dramas, to low-budget horror films. Every time she manages to commit to a TV show without getting bored, an angel gets its wings.

When she’s not writing, you can find her trying to learn a new language, watching hockey (go Avs!), or wondering what life would have been like had Pushing Daisies, Firefly, and Limitless not been cancelled. Breakfast food is life and coffee is what makes the world go round.

Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once. It was great.

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