From subversive superheroes to sports documentaries,
Hollywood A-lister Ryan
Reynolds said he is focused on exploring new forms of storytelling, as he received
a prestigious film industry honor.
اضافة اعلان
The star of comic-book movies such as "Deadpool" and "Green
Lantern" made headlines last year when he bought lowly Welsh soccer team
Wrexham, along with fellow actor Rob McElhenney.
Their takeover and the fifth-tier team's subsequent bid for promotion was
the subject of hit docuseries "Welcome to Wrexham," the latest in a
booming trend of behind-the-scenes sports documentaries.
Sport "is storytelling happening in real time. So I love applying that
to Wrexham," said Reynolds at a Beverly Hills gala Thursday.
"I've fallen in love with not just Wrexham but the people of Wales. I
knew I'd be entrenched in the town, I just didn't know that it would go this
deep this quickly.
"It's been amazing. It's been truly one of the great privileges of my
life."
While "Welcome to Wrexham" is unusual because its stars and
producers took ownership of the club -- despite admitting to knowing almost
nothing about soccer -- sports documentaries more generally have soared in
popularity in recent times.
Netflix scored hits with basketball series "The Last Dance" and
"Formula 1: Drive to Survive," while Amazon Prime's popular "All
Or Nothing" franchise offers fans glimpses of what goes on inside elite
teams.
"We live in a world that moves incredibly fast. If you can move at the
speed of what people are talking about, when they're talking about it, you can
move mountains -- and sports is that," said Reynolds.
Reynolds last week told late-night host Jimmy Fallon he is interested in
buying a much larger franchise -- the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey
League (NHL).
Asked about the bid at Thursday's gala, Reynolds teased: "We'll
see."
- 'Superheroes and
horror' -
Reynolds received the American Cinematheque Award, a "mid-career
achievement" prize given to one star at the event each year. Previous
honorees have included Al Pacino, Tom Cruise, and Steven Spielberg.
"I think what made 'Deadpool' special and the reason I loved it is it
subverts the genre," he said.
"When you can subvert a genre like that, particularly one that is as
robust as the superhero genre, you jump at the chance."
Guests at the glitzy event included Oscar-winning director Ron Howard
("A Beautiful Mind") who said Reynolds is "proving himself to be
a really great all-around storyteller and producer as well as movie star."
Actor and Wrexham co-owner McElhenney said Reynolds is "incredibly
entrepreneurial" and "just looks at the world and business, and our
particular business, in a completely different way."
Jason Blum, the leading horror producer behind hits such as "Get
Out" and "Paranormal Activity," was also honored with a Power of
Cinema Award.
Like superhero films, the horror genre has continued to thrive, drawing huge
audiences to movie theaters in the age of streaming.
"Superheroes and horror. We've got theaters covered!" joked
Blum about his fellow honoree.
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