Ryan Reynolds has become synonymous with Deadpool. Reynolds debuted as a comic-accurate version of the foul-mouthed, hyper-violent mercenary in 2016's Deadpool, and going against all odds, the film became a success, catapulting both character and actor into super-stardom. The actor returned to play Wade Wilson in Deadpool 2 and most recently in Deadpool & Wolverine. That, paired with his appearances as the character in a short film and a memorable ad, have likely made it hard for audiences to not associate Reynolds with the Merc with a Mouth.
It's safe to say Reynolds was born to play the quippy mercenary, but now, he's tackling a new kind of role in a much more family-friendly project. Deadline is reporting that Reynolds has signed on to star as the villain in Eloise, a live-action adaptation of the classic children's books that's being directed by Amy Sherman-Palladino, creator of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (which starred current Lois Lane, Rachel Brosnahan) and Gilmore Girls. Reynolds—who's producing through his Maximum Effort production company—will be joined by newcomer Mae Schenk, who's starring as the film's titular Eloise. Netflix will distribute the project, which will start filming in November, per Variety.
Though no story details were provided, the movie is said to be a brand-new story, separate from what's been explored in the books. Due to this, Reynolds' villain is a new character created for the project, which was co-written by Sherman-Palladino, Linda Woolverton and Hannah Marks. For those unfamiliar with the property, "Eloise" is a series of children's books first published in 1955 written by Kay Thompson and drawn by Hilary Knight. The books center around Eloise, a little girl living in New York City's Plaza Hotel who constantly finds herself in wacky adventures.
Netflix's Head of Feature Animation and Family Film Hannah Minghella had this to say about the project:
"Eloise has been beloved for generations, from when she was first published in the 1950s through to today, when no family trip to New York City is complete without a stop at The Plaza. It's an honor to reintroduce this cherished character to the world with two people who share her signature mischief and charm—Amy Sherman-Palladino and Ryan Reynolds—in this bold, hilarious, and heartfelt new family film."
An adaptation of the books has been long in the making, with even Uma Thurman attached at one point to play Eloise's nanny (a collaboration that ended in a lawsuit). As detailed by Deadline, the film was initially set to be produced by Paramount, but following the company's merger with Skydance, it became up for grabs. That's when Netflix came in, eager to reteam with Reynolds, who's starred in multiple films from the streamer, including Red Notice and The Adam Project.
Reynolds and Sherman-Palladino may not seem like the most obvious pairing given their different creative sensibilities. However, thinking of their background and previous work, they are, in fact, a match made in Heaven. Sherman-Palladino is an incredibly talented creator, and Reynolds is a talented actor with instant charisma. Having them teaming up makes Eloise an even more promising project than it already was due its source material.
Now, seeing Reynolds sign on for a film as family-friendly as Eloise may be surprising. It's understandable, given how he's often perceived as an R-rated performer. However, you might be surprised to hear that isn't entirely accurate. The actor became a major star through the Deadpool films, yes, but his career since has actually been fairly PG-13. After starring in Deadpool in 2016, for example, he went on to star in projects like Detective Pikachu, Hobbs & Shaw, Free Guy, The Adam Project and IF.
What do you think about Reynolds starring in Eloise? Are you excited about the movie? Drop your thoughts in the comments!