Ryan Reynolds Proposes R-Rated Star Wars Project to Disney, Aiming for Emotional Depth

Fresh off the success of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ Reynolds pitches a mature Star Wars story, emphasizing emotional storytelling over vulgarity, and expresses interest in producing rather than starring.

In a recent episode of The Box Office podcast, actor and producer Ryan Reynolds revealed that he pitched an R-rated Star Wars project to Disney, aiming to bring a new emotional depth to the franchise.

“I pitched to Disney, I said, ‘Why don’t we do an R-rated Star Wars property?'” Reynolds shared. “It doesn’t have to be overt, A+ characters. There’s a wide range of characters you could use. And I don’t mean R-rated to be vulgar. R-rated as a Trojan horse for emotion. I always wonder why studios don’t want to just gamble on something like that.”

Reynolds clarified that he does not intend to star in the potential project, stating, “That would be a bad fit.” Instead, he expressed interest in contributing as a producer or writer, focusing on behind-the-scenes roles.

“Those kinds of IP subsist really well on scarcity and surprise,” he noted. “We don’t get scarcity really with Star Wars because of Disney+, but you can certainly still surprise people.”

While the Star Wars franchise has traditionally maintained a PG-13 rating, Reynolds’ proposal suggests a shift towards more mature storytelling, focusing on emotional complexity rather than explicit content.

This pitch follows the success of Deadpool & Wolverine, which became the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, demonstrating the potential for mature-themed projects within established franchises.
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As of now, Disney has not publicly responded to Reynolds’ proposal. However, his vision for an emotionally driven, mature Star Wars story adds an intriguing possibility to the future of the galaxy far, far away.