How Netflix Assembled a Dozen A-Listers (In Character) for Its Super Bowl Ad

How Netflix Assembled a Dozen A-Listers (In Character) for Its Super Bowl Ad

Usually when a film wraps, an actor puts the project to bed, never to step into those scenes again. But after completing production on the Russo brothers’ The Gray Man, Ryan Gosling found himself back in costume to re-create a beat from the big-budget action movie. Gosling was among a number of stars featured in a fourth wall-breaking trailer the streaming service unveiled Feb. 3 to tout its 2022 slate.

The trailer took eight months of planning, Netflix marketing executives say, with some stars — such as The Adam Project‘s Ryan Reynolds and Mark Ruffalo and The Mother‘s Jennifer Lopez — carving out time during the production of their films. Other A-listers, such as Gosling, reunited with wardrobe, hair and makeup professionals from their films after they wrapped.

The trailer struck a chord and, to date, has 14 million views on YouTube. Says Bozoma Saint John, chief marketing officer at Netflix: “We want our marketing to be as entertaining as our content is.”

The 2022 slate trailer was just the opening salvo in a promotional campaign leading to the Super Bowl. On Thursday, Netflix unveiled the first full trailer for Reynolds’ The Adam Project, and on Sunday the streamer has purchased 60 seconds of Super Bowl airtime to show a condensed version of both trailers.

The idea started to form a year ago, when Netflix stars recorded greetings to promote the service’s 2021 slate. The Netflix team wanted to build on that idea, and by June, had settled on the idea of having actors appear in character this time. Would talent buy in?

“Luckily, the filmmakers, the stars liked this idea, and it sounded like something that hadn’t been done before. People really rallied around trying to get it done,” says Jonathan Helfgot, vp, original films marketing.

The marketing team looked at production schedules, dailies and pre-visualization from the dozens of films on the 2022 slate. The team also consulted with filmmakers on what scene should be highlighted, both to best show off the films but also avoid spoilers.

“We were pretty specific about which scenes we would use for each group of talent and each film,” says Helfgot.

Four years ago, Netflix pulled off one of the great stunts in film marketing with the surprise trailer and announcement that it had acquired the sci-fi film The Cloverfield Paradox from Paramount, and that it would be available to stream immediately after the game. This year, Netflix has already released the trailers that will be condensed for its 60-second spot ahead of the big game (competitors such as Disney and Universal have also pushed out big trailers ahead of the Super Bowl). But the streaming service sees value in a play for the Super Bowl, which remains the top-rated television broadcast of the year, even if some viewers will already have seen the spot.

After all, the 2022 slate spot features so many stars that viewers might not catch all of them upon first viewing.

Says Saint John: “We want a lot of people to see it and stop and say, ‘Oh, my God, did you see that?’ and then we want them to watch it again.”

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds Support Hugh Jackman’s Broadway Play

Watch : Hugh Jackman Trolls Ryan Reynolds With Birthday Video

You know Ryan Reynolds wasn’t going to miss his bro Hugh Jackman’s big turn on Broadway.

He and Blake Lively made it a date night Feb. 10, stepping out for the opening of The Music Man.

Making the most of their night away from kids James, 7, Inez, 5, and Betty, 2, they went all out with Ryan, 45, in a checkered suit and the perennially stylish Blake, 34, in a plunging Sergio Hudson pantsuit and coordinating Lorraine Schwartz jewels. (Like he was going to risk another ugly sweater photo opp.)

And Ryan didn’t pass up an opportunity to troll Hugh—who plays Harold Hill in the revival. To show his love, Ryan gifted his longtime pal with three huge black and white portraits of himself, with a note that read, “Hugh, good luck with your little show. I’ll be watching.”

The pair’s bromance has become every bit as delightful for fans as Ryan and Blake’s wickedly funny Instagram takedowns of each other.

Ryan Reynolds Posts Proof Blake Lively Is An Excellent Instagram Wife

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively are always adding more proof that they’re the perfect couple, and this recent Instagram post from Reynolds check off another item on the list: Lively is the Instagram wife every man dreams about.

The Deadpool actor tends to have a comedic and somewhat snarky persona online and he and Lively love to tease each other. But this photo is just pure joy. In the picture, Reynolds stands on the beach in matching blue pajamas, holding a white mug and smiling like it is the best day of his life. He’s wearing sunglasses and seems to be looking off across the shore — or possibly at Lively. Behind him is blue sky and idyllic white clouds.

The only thing written in the caption is the camera emoji and his wife’s Instagram handle, giving her credit for the sweet pic.

This content is imported from Instagram. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This year will see the couple’s 11th anniversary, and they are reportedly going strong. In November of 2021, Reynolds told Entertainment Tonight that he and Lively work very hard to maintain their relationship, and the key is actually a deep friendship.

“We don’t take each other too seriously, but we’re also friends,” he said. “Falling in love is great, but do you like each other? That’s kinda the question you gotta ask yourself, you know, going into it. We’ve always liked each other. We grow together. We learn from each other. So yeah, I’m lucky to have a buddy in that.”

A month later, Reynolds announced he’d be taking a break from acting to spend more time with his family. In an interview with LinkedIn News Senior Editor at Large Jessi Hempel, Reynolds said he’s focusing on other types of projects and his kids.

“I want my kids to have a pretty normal schedule,” he explained. “For many years when my wife Blake would shoot a film, I would not shoot a film and I would be with the kids and vice versa. So we would sort of trade off. We never really worked at the same time. But always we were away. So the kids were away too.”

He continued, “Now that they’re in school, they have a somewhat normal schedule. I think it’s totally important for their development and I really enjoy being a present dad. I love taking them to school in the morning, I love picking them up.”

Aimée Lutkin Aimée Lutkin is the weekend editor at ELLE.com

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

Ryan Reynolds Celebrates Free Guy’s Oscar Nomination

Naturally every actor, filmmaker or production person is excited when hearing their name called on Oscar nomination day. While indie films, sleeper hits and intimate dramas tend to rack up nominations, blockbuster films are frequently shut out or relegated to the technical awards. The latter was the case for Ryan Reynold’s video game movie Free Guy. Instead of making one of his smart quips, Reynolds changed up the pace by genuinely acknowledging the film’s Oscar nomination.

Free Guy scored an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects, and the Red Notice star wanted his followers to know about the comedy’s lone nod, so he hopped on his Twitter. To see the big shout-out Ryan Reynolds gave his Free Guy effects team, check out his post below.

Congrats team #FreeGuy👕on the #Oscar nom! ➡️ SWEN GILLBERG, BRYAN GRILL.NiKOS KALAITZIDIS AND DAN SUDICK pic.twitter.com/V9YozqtK3iFebruary 8, 2022 See more

It was a good look for Ryan Reynolds to give the film’s visual effects team the props they deserve. He could’ve just thanked the team and moved on, but the Free Guy star chose to single out each team member. He showed how important the visual effects artists were to create the amazing video game world in the film, which was inspired by games like Grand Theft Auto. Of course, viewers got to witness their handy works in the incredible Dude vs. Guy battle, which was created through the magic of motion capture. Reynolds was just grateful for the visual effects team’s contribution to the comedy’s success.

Free Guy was one of the multiple blockbusters nominated in the Best Visual Effects category. It was joined by sic-fi epic Dune, Daniel Craig’s Bond swan song No Time to Die, and Marvel films Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Hopefully, the Oscar nomination will spark some movement on the Free Guy 2 front. Ryan Reynolds is already on board for a sequel as he joked about bringing back the Barista and Cat-Lady for MCU’s potential Phase Five. The visual effects team is up for the challenge of topping themselves by saying fans can expect more of a gameplay aspect in a potential follow-up. Maybe that will lead to snatching up more third-act cameos as easy as they did the first time. Hopefully Chris Hemsworth will finally get his cameo in the sequel.

Viewers will have to wait until March 27 to see if Free Guy will win its Oscar. You can learn what other movies will be competing at the Academy Awards by looking through our 2022 Oscar nominations list, and you’re also welcome to look over the lineup of the biggest snubs this year. Free Guy will be available to stream on both Disney+ and HBO Max starting February 23. If you’re looking further into the future, check out our 2022 movie releases schedule.

Wait, I Thought Ryan Reynolds Was Taking A Break From Acting? Why He Still Has A New Netflix Movie Coming Up

Ryan Reynolds has stayed remarkably busy as a working actor for decades. He started professionally acting in 1991, gained notoriety for the weirdly titled sitcom Two Guys, A Girl and A Pizza Shop in 1998, then graduated to film roles and basically never slowed down. So when Reynolds revealed in October of 2021 that he finally was taking an extended break from acting to spend more time with his family, we accepted that, and braced for a lengthy absence of sarcastic cool.

Except, Reynolds has a new movie – The Adam Project – coming to Netflix on March 11. He also wrapped Spirited, a musical version of the classic Dickens Christmas carol that co-stars Will Ferrell and Octavia Spencer. That comes out in 2022, as well. Finally, Reynolds has a bevy of announced projects that could keep him active for years, including a Clue remake that’s been bandied about, an adaptation of the popular video game Dragon’s Lair, and Deadpool 3… if Disney and Marvel Studios ever get that one off the ground.

What exactly is going on with Ryan Reynolds’ break from acting? He has been laying low since announcing this “sabbatical from movie making” in October, and appears to be on a break now. But when will he be back? Let’s discuss this further.

What Ryan Reynolds Said About Taking A Break From Acting

The limelight shines bright on Ryan Reynolds, particularly when he’s standing on a red carpet with his equally famous spouse, Blake Lively. Even as the film industry struggled to release films during a global pandemic, Reynolds released Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, Free Guy (which just received an Academy Award nomination), and the Netflix hit Red Notice. So while speaking with LinkedIn News in December, he elaborated on one of his Instagram posts calling for a “sabbatical from movie making.” Reynolds clarified:

I want my kids to have a pretty normal schedule. For many years when my wife Blake would shoot a film, I would not shoot a film and I would be with the kids and vice versa. So we would sort of trade off. We never really worked at the same time. But always we were away. So the kids were away too. … Now that they’re in school, they have a somewhat normal schedule. I think it’s totally important for their development and I really enjoy being a present dad. I love taking them to school in the morning, I love picking them up. I love that I have the hours in between to focus on the things that I’m really passionate about like MNTN and Maximum Effort.

Reynolds has side projects that could entertain him outside of acting, should he ever walk away from it entirely. He bought Mint Mobile, and frequently advertises for it. He owns a stake in Aviation American Gin. And he backs his production house Maximum Effort in all that they create.

So, how does this break actually work? If anything, the release date shuffles caused by COVID likely gave Ryan Reynolds more time at home with his wife and kids than expected. While he may grow accustomed to the husband/father interplay, due to the scheduling, he’ll still have movies to release to his fans while he enjoys what he himself calls a little sabbatical.”

His next film, The Adam Project, reunites him with Free Guy filmmaker Shawn Levy. The high concept comedy filmed from November 2020 to March 2021. Four months later, Reynolds was in Massachusetts from July-October 2021 filming Spirited. And as he points out in his Instagram post, it was a grueling shoot because of the musical nature of the movie. Reynolds said:

Not sure I’d have been ready to say yes to a film this challenging even three years ago. Singing, dancing and playing in the sandbox with Will Ferrell made a whole lotta dreams come true.

Between The Adam Project and Spirited, Reynolds fans have two films on the radar they can look forward to. But will that be it for a long time?

What’s Ryan Reynolds’ Next Movie?

Chances are, it will be If, written and directed by A Quiet Place helmer John Krasinski. That’s right, the filmmaker tipped his hand when he Tweeted the ensemble he has put together for If, a 2023 release that features Steve Carell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fiona Shaw, Louis Gossett Jr., and Mr. Ryan Reynolds.

Ah, what if one day I could assemble my dream cast? What… IF pic.twitter.com/KAEWdzmn9YJanuary 25, 2022 See more

Details of the plot are being kept under wraps, though the movie has a release date at the moment of November 17, 2023. So that “sabbatical” Reynolds imposed on himself will be short lived, because he’s no doubt going to be following If with Clue, Deadpool 3, Paul King’s Everyday Parenting Tips, or some other intriguing screenplay that lands on his desk. So long as it isn’t Green Lantern 2. You’re welcome, Canada.

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively: A look at couple’s hilarious social media troll history on this Valentine’s Day

Only a few couples will make you feel, “I want what they have,” and oh boy, Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively will definitely make you feel that way every day! No, we’re not talking about roses, sunshine, and grand gestures! We’re talking about the merciless social media trolls, the dorkiest pictures, and their super-cute marriage! On this Valentine’s Day, we sincerely wish all of you to find your own Blake and Ryan.

Is there anyone who thought Serena van der Woodsen and Deadpool would make the perfect couple? Certainly, we did not.

Flashback to their friendship, when Ryan and Blake appeared together in the film Green Lantern (2010). They weren’t yet a couple. He was married to Scarlett Johansson and she was dating Joe Goldberg, oh sorry, Penn Badgley, her Gossip Girl co-star at that time. After the demise of Ryan and Blake’s previous relationships, the two stayed friends and would often hang out with each other. And eventually, they fell in love and got married. They’re each other’s partners, soulmates, lovers, and everything else, but first and foremost, they’re each other’s best friends.

Cut to 2022; they are married and proud parents to three girls, Betty, Inez, and James. (Even on the deathbed, people will know the names of their daughters, Thanks to Ms. Taylor Swift)

When asked about the relationship, Blake had this to say, “I knew he would always be my best friend for my whole life, that was the biggest thing to me. I’d never known anything like the friendship that I had with him. I could like him as much as I loved him. ” (via Marie Claire).

The couple’s endless merciless social media trolls have been the talk of the town since the time they joined the platform! When People asked if he was subject to internet trolls, Ryan responded: “Oh, God, yes, I do. Are you kidding me? I live with one. My wife trolls the crap out of me. Why would I go online? I’ve got it right here at home.”

So, here are a few of our favorite moments that prove Blake and Ryan are the ultimate couple goals!

1. That time when Blake took the ultimate revenge for Ryan’s savage birthday wish for her.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ryan Reynolds (@vancityreynolds)

On August 26, 2017, Ryan wished his wife Blake a happy 30th birthday. He captioned a photo of them on his social media platforms, “Happy Birthday to my amazing wife.” Only he cropped her out of the picture!

And, on the actor’s 41st birthday, Blake returned with a bang. She posted a photo of Ryan with the caption “Happy Birthday, baby,” but she cropped him out of the photo and kept the focus on the wrong Ryan! What a sweet revenge!

2. The time Ryan put an end to the divorce rumors.

When a tweet appeared saying, “Ryan Reynolds joins Blake Lively and his mom on the red carpet after shutting down split rumors.” Ryan clapped back with some epic trolling. “We’re never splitting. She’ll always be my mom. No matter how much jazz-cabbage she smokes with her rollerblading friends, “he wrote. This tweet came a week after he responded to another false report about his marriage, quoting a headline that he and Blake are “struggling to spend quality time together” by tweeting, “I wish, I could use a little ‘me time.'”

We’re never splitting. She’ll always be my mom. No matter how much jazz-cabbage she smokes with her rollerblading friends. — Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) April 4, 2018

3. #NoFilter

We’ll just leave the image here without any explanation, posted by Ryan of his wife.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ryan Reynolds (@vancityreynolds)

4. The birthday posts, once again.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ryan Reynolds (@vancityreynolds)

Ryan shares a series of unflattering, bad, and out of sync images of Blake on her birthday, and Blake strikes back with the dorkiest image of them on his birthday!

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Blake Lively (@blakelively)

5. That time when Ryan apologized for cropping Blake’s earrings out of the image.

6. Blake Lively on the secrets that she had been keeping from Ryan

Oh darling, of all the secrets I’m keeping from you, this should be the LEAST of your concerns… trust me. — Blake Lively (@blakelively) May 26, 2018

7. Ryan loves Hugh Jackman more than his wife!

“Is the extra distance between you supposed to convince me that you DON’T love him more than me?? Nice try,” Blake once commented on this photo of Hugh Jackman and Reynolds.

8. Aww, happy Valentine’s Day

When Blake joked in Ryan’s comment section, saying, “Why won’t this damn app swipe right?!?!!” by pretending she was on Tinder. “It’s because it’s the E-Harmony app.” Ryan wrote back mentioning another dating app. Blake then hit him with the best comeback in human history, “Can you show me how to download that? Ever since Ashley Madison closed I’ve been so lonely,” she wrote. “Awww. Happy Valentine’s Day,” Ryan wrote back.

9. The anonymous airport bathroom sex post on Mother’s Day.

In the Mother’s Day tribute post for Blake, “Never could I have predicted anonymous airport bathroom sex would lead to this,” Ryan wrote alongside a beautiful selfie of the parents of three little girls. “Or how you’d hire Dog the Bounty Hunter to find me,” he adds.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ryan Reynolds (@vancityreynolds)

10. That time when Blake revealed her affair with her hairdresser.

Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone in between, we present to you the hottest hairdresser in town, Ryan Reynolds!