10 Movies That Made Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds A Hollywood Power Couple

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds have been Hollywood staples for years, balancing big hits and fan-favorite roles.

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds met on the set of Green Lantern in 2010, and somehow a box office bomb turned into a marriage that’s kept Hollywood gossip blogs busy ever since. Both actors have built steady careers while becoming known almost as much for their social media presence as their movies. Here’s a look at the films that marked different stages of their individual careers and relationships, from superhero misfires to surprising successes.

Green Lantern (2011)

This superhero flop may have bombed with critics and audiences, but it did manage to spark something between its leads. Reynolds plays Hal Jordan, a test pilot who joins an intergalactic police force, while Lively plays Carol Ferris, his childhood friend and boss. The movie’s failure has become a running joke for Reynolds in interviews, though it clearly worked out well enough for their personal lives. The film’s $200 million budget and messy CGI became cautionary tales in Hollywood, but at least the stars found their real-life happy ending.

The Age of Adaline (2015)

This romantic fantasy casts Lively as Adaline Bowman, a woman who mysteriously stops aging after an accident in the 1930s. The film marked one of her first attempts to break away from her Gossip Girl image with a more dramatic role. Reynolds showed up to support her at premieres, starting their tradition of making red-carpet appearances into social media moments. The movie’s modest success proved Lively could carry a film, even if critics weren’t entirely convinced by the far-fetched premise.

Deadpool (2016)

After years of trying to get the project made, Reynolds finally got his shot at playing Wade Wilson, the scarred mercenary with a motor mouth. The movie’s success gave his career a much-needed boost after several flops. Lively was around during development, supposedly giving notes on the script – though exactly how much input she had is unclear. The R-rated superhero comedy went on to break box office records and spawned a sequel, finally giving Reynolds the franchise he’d been chasing since his Green Lantern days.

The Shallows (2016)

Lively took on her most physically demanding role yet as a surfer stranded near shore with a great white shark circling. Shot while she was pregnant, the movie proved she could handle action sequences, even if the premise was a bit thin. Reynolds visited between filming Deadpool 2, generating the usual paparazzi attention. Made on a tight budget of $17 million, the film turned a decent profit and showed Lively could hold her own in the thriller genre.

Free Guy (2021)

Reynolds played Guy, a video game NPC who becomes self-aware. While Lively wasn’t in the film, she reportedly contributed story ideas and script notes. Whether that made the movie better or worse is up for debate. The film managed to become one of the few video game-related movies to actually please critics and audiences alike, though Reynolds’ signature snark remained firmly intact throughout.

A Simple Favor (2018)

Lively went darker than usual as Emily Nelson, a PR director with mysterious motives who suddenly vanishes. The stylish thriller showed she could do more than romantic leads, even if it didn’t exactly break new ground. Reynolds handled kid duty during filming, according to their many social media posts about it. Director Paul Feig praised Lively’s comedic timing, suggesting she might have picked up a few pointers from her husband’s career.

Detective Pikachu (2019)

Reynolds voiced Pikachu in this live-action Pokémon movie, bringing his usual quips to a family-friendly format. It was a safe career choice as both stars started focusing more on balancing work with their growing family. Lively’s pregnancy reveal at the premiere got more press than the movie itself. The film proved Reynolds could tone down his usual snark for younger audiences, though his trademark wit still snuck through the PG rating.

The Proposal (2009)

Before meeting Lively, Reynolds co-starred with Sandra Bullock in this standard rom-com about a boss forcing her assistant to marry her. It did well enough to keep him in the running for leading man roles, eventually landing him in Green Lantern. The chemistry between Reynolds and Bullock sparked dating rumors at the time, making his later relationship with Lively all the more interesting to tabloids.

Savages (2012)

Oliver Stone’s crime thriller gave Lively a chance to act alongside established stars like Benicio Del Toro and Salma Hayek. The role came as she was trying to prove herself beyond television, right when her relationship with Reynolds was starting. Set visits from Reynolds kept the paparazzi busy. The movie’s mixed reviews didn’t stop Lively from continuing to pursue grittier roles as she worked to distance herself from her teen drama roots.

The Rhythm Section (2020)

In this mostly forgotten action thriller, Lively played a woman seeking revenge for her family’s death. Production had to pause for six months after she injured her hand during filming. Reynolds praised her commitment on social media, as usual. The movie’s poor box office performance and lukewarm reviews didn’t seem to faze either star, as they were more focused on their growing family by this point.