Ryan Reynolds says ‘I do’ to starring in Shotgun Wedding action-comedy

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

It sounds as if wedding bells are ringing, once again, for Canadian-born actor Ryan Reynolds, who Deadline reports has just agreed to walk down to aisle as the star of SHOTGUN WEDDING, an upcoming comedy courtesy of Lionsgate, Mandeville Films and Maximum Effort. Set to direct the action-comedy feature is PITCH PERFECT helmer Jason Moore, who also has several television directing credits to his up-and-coming name.

In the film being billed as an action-packed romantic comedy, a couple whose extravagant destination wedding is taken over by criminals suddently find themselves in the process of saving their families, while also rediscovering why they wanted to get married in the first place.

The film is based on an original script and pitch from Mark Hammer, who'll be joined by when crafting the final version of the screenplay. Mandeville Films’ Alex Young and Maximum Effort’s George Dewey are in-line to executive produce, with Lionsgate Motion Picture Group SVP of Production and Development James Myers and Director of Development Brady Fujikawa in charge of overseeing the project.

When asked for comment as to why he's decided to board the project, Reynolds told Deadline:

“I haven’t done a romantic comedy since The Proposal but I just fell in love with Shotgun Wedding,” said Reynolds. “It’s so refreshing and surprising. I can’t wait to bring it to life with Jason, Todd, Dave and the great team at Lionsgate.”

Then, as part of a joint response to Reynold's enthusiasm, Mandeville’s Todd Liberman and David Hoberman added, “We’ve been looking for an opportunity to reteam with Ryan. He’s a rare actor who can do it all and we are so excited to have found the right film for all of us. It’s great to be working with the talented Jason Moore and our great partners at Lionsgate.”

After Lionsgate's success with the 2017 Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson starrer, THE HITMAN'S BODYGUARD, it's no wonder that the studio is looking to nab the charisma-filled Canuck for another action-oriented love story. In fact, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group President Nathan Kahane said as much when speaking about working alongside Reynolds, once more:

"Ryan’s trademark wit and action chops have captivated moviegoers around the world, and we have the perfect filmmaker and the ideal property to showcase his incredibly versatile talents. We can’t wait to bring our next collaboration with Ryan and the amazing Mandeville creative team to theaters.”

Up next for Reynolds is Warner Bros. Pictures' POKÉMON: DETECTIVE PIKACHU, wherein the DEADPOOL star will lend his voice to the film's lead pocket monster, Detective Pikachu. After that, Reynolds will arrive as One for Michael Bay's 6 UNDERGROUND, a feature that centers on six billionaires who fake their own deaths and form an elite vigilante squad in order to take down notorious criminals.