Ryan Reynolds praises ‘The Odyssey’ after it steals ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’s’ R rated record

Ryan Reynolds also opens up about the darker reality behind the nostalgia surrounding the 1980s

Ryan Reynolds has officially congratulated the movie that knocked his own blockbuster from the top spot, and his reaction to Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey could hardly be more enthusiastic.

The actor, who starred in Deadpool & Wolverine, praised Nolan and the cast of The Odyssey after the epic surpassed the Marvel sequel to become the highest grossing R rated movie in history. Reynolds previously celebrated the achievement publicly, congratulating the film’s cast and crew when the box office milestone was reached in August.

Speaking with Variety at the New York premiere of Mayday on September 1, Reynolds made it clear that he had no bitterness about losing the record. Instead, he offered some remarkably strong praise for Nolan, calling him a filmmaker who operates at an extraordinary level.

"Obviously, The Odyssey is an incredible, incredible movie. Christopher Nolan literally breathes the rarest air on Earth. He’s a singular filmmaker," Reynolds told.

Reynolds also singled out the film’s star studded cast, mentioning Matt Damon and Tom Holland while praising the wider theatrical experience. His comments came during a period of remarkable momentum for cinema, with The Odyssey becoming one of the biggest releases of 2026.

The Universal film opened in cinemas on July 17 and quickly established itself as a major box office force. It stars Damon as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, with Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, Jon Bernthal and John Leguizamo among the ensemble. The film adapts Homer’s ancient epic poem and runs for almost three hours while carrying an R rating.

By August 21, it is reported that The Odyssey had reached $1.352bn worldwide, passing Deadpool & Wolverine, which finished with $1.338bn. Box Office Mojo now lists The Odyssey at roughly $1.56bn worldwide, keeping it firmly ahead of Reynolds’ 2024 Marvel film.

The achievement is particularly striking because The Odyssey is not based on an existing modern film franchise. Its source material is an ancient Greek epic, while Nolan has turned the story into a large scale theatrical event built around premium cinema formats. The movie has also become Nolan’s highest grossing film, moving past The Dark Knight Rises.

Reynolds used his appearance at the Mayday premiere to discuss another subject connected to his new film. The Apple Original Films production is set towards the end of the Cold War and features Reynolds as a US Navy pilot who becomes stranded behind enemy lines alongside an eccentric former KGB agent played by Kenneth Branagh.

That setting also prompted Reynolds to push back against the polished nostalgia often associated with the 1980s. He argued that popular culture can overlook the anxiety and instability that defined parts of the period, particularly fears surrounding nuclear conflict, the AIDS epidemic and economic hardship.

Reynolds also reflected on how future generations could view the 2020s, suggesting that people living through an era can struggle to recognise its significance while it is happening.