Ryan Reynolds Reveals He Pitched an R-Rated Star Wars Project to Disney

Ryan Reynolds revealed that he pitched an R-rated Star Wars project to Disney. This comes after Reynolds’ success with Deadpool & Wolverine, the MCU’s first R-rated film under Disney, proving that mature storytelling can work within major franchises.

During The Box Office podcast with host Scott Mendelson, Reynolds shared that he pitched an R-rated Star Wars project. He explained that the project wouldn’t be vulgar, but would use the R-rating as a “Trojan Horse for emotion,” allowing for a deeper plot.

Reynolds added that the idea involved using lesser-known characters, rather than the main A-list heroes, to offer more creative freedom within the Star Wars universe.

Reynolds said, “I pitched to Disney. I said, ‘Why don’t we do an R-rated Star Wars property? It doesn’t have to be overt A+ characters. There’s a wide range of characters you could use.’” He added, “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.”

As of now, the Star Wars franchise has never produced an R-rated movie or series. The most mature entry to date is Andor—which recently concluded its two-season run—having tackled darker, more complex themes.

Reynolds clarified that his idea isn’t about starring in the project, saying, “That would be a bad fit.” He sees himself contributing off-screen instead—and believes franchises like Star Wars work best when content feels rare and unexpected. While Disney+ has made Star Wars more frequent, he still sees room for genuine surprise.

Reynolds continued, “I’m not saying I want to be in it. That would be a bad fit.” he added, “I’d want to produce and write or be a part of behind the scenes. Those kinds of IP subsist really well on scarcity and surprise. We don’t get scarcity really with ‘Star Wars’ because of Disney+, but you can certainly still surprise people.”

The upcoming movies in the Star Wars universe include The Mandalorian and Grogu, starring Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin/The Mandalorian, which is scheduled to hit theaters on May 22, 2026. Following that, director Shawn Levy—who worked with Reynolds on Deadpool and Wolverine, The Adam Project, and Free Guy—is making Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling, set to be released in theaters on May 28, 2027.

Source: The Box Office