The 3 Must-Know Ryan Reynolds Christmas Movies: From Apple TV+ Musical To The Unmade Deadpool Holiday Special
The landscape of holiday cinema has a new, charismatic king: Ryan Reynolds. As of December 22, 2025, his most significant and latest foray into the festive genre remains the critically acclaimed Apple TV+ musical, Spirited, a modern, meta-comedy take on Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol. But beyond his confirmed musical debut, the story of Reynolds' Christmas career is filled with a major unproduced superhero special and swirling rumors of new 2025 projects, making his holiday filmography far more complex and intriguing than just a single streaming hit.
This deep dive will break down the fresh details and behind-the-scenes facts of his main holiday feature, the shocking truth about the Christmas movie he already wrote, and the status of any upcoming projects, giving fans a complete picture of the Canadian actor's festive cinematic journey.
Ryan Reynolds: Biography and Essential Career Profile
Ryan Rodney Reynolds is a Canadian and American actor, film producer, and entrepreneur known globally for his quick wit, charismatic screen presence, and versatile career spanning comedy, drama, and superhero blockbusters. Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, he has successfully transitioned from teen soap operas to one of Hollywood's most bankable stars.
- Birth Name: Ryan Rodney Reynolds
- Born: October 23, 1976 (Age 49 as of late 2025)
- Birth Place: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Nationality: Canadian and American
- Spouse: Blake Lively (m. 2012)
- Early Career Debut: Teen drama Fifteen (1991)
- Breakout Role: Van Wilder in National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002)
- Signature Role: Wade Wilson / Deadpool in the Deadpool film series (2016–present)
- Notable Business Ventures: Co-owner of Aviation Gin, Mint Mobile, and Wrexham A.F.C. (with Rob McElhenney)
- Awards & Nominations: Multiple Critics' Choice, Golden Globe, and Grammy nominations for his work in film and music.
1. Spirited (2022): The Definitive Ryan Reynolds Christmas Musical
The most concrete and highest-profile Christmas project in Ryan Reynolds' filmography is the 2022 Apple TV+ original, Spirited. This film redefined the holiday musical genre by introducing a meta-narrative where the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet-to-Come choose a new "Scrooge" every year to undergo a public redemption.
Plot and Core Concept
Reynolds stars as Clint Briggs, a cynical, highly successful modern-day media consultant—a "unredeemable" figure whose business is built on sowing discord and outrage. Clint becomes the subject of the Ghost of Christmas Present's (played by comedy legend Will Ferrell) annual redemption effort. The twist is that the Ghost of Christmas Present is tired of the same old story and begins to question his own existence, leading to a hilarious and heartfelt role-reversal where Clint attempts to redeem the Ghost. The film is a modern, self-aware, and surprisingly complex take on the classic Dickensian themes of empathy and change.
Star-Studded Cast and Behind-the-Scenes Facts
The film is a major production, notable for its elaborate musical numbers and the unexpected pairing of Reynolds and Ferrell. Director Sean Anders (known for Daddy's Home and Instant Family) helmed the project, which features original songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the Oscar-winning duo behind La La Land and The Greatest Showman. This collaboration ensured the musical elements were genuinely high-quality, contrasting with the film's irreverent comedy.
- Co-Stars: Will Ferrell (Ghost of Christmas Present), Octavia Spencer (Clint's colleague, Kimberly), Sunita Mani (Ghost of Christmas Past), and Patrick Page (Marley).
- A Grueling Process: Both Reynolds and Ferrell spent significant time training for the demanding song and dance numbers. Reynolds, in particular, admitted that the physical challenge of the musical choreography was far more difficult than any action sequence in a Deadpool film.
- Unique Filming Detail: In a piece of trivia that adds a layer of depth to the production, the child actors who played the "Unredeemables" were reportedly kept away from sunlight during filming to maintain a pale, ghostly look, mirroring the characters they portrayed.
- Sequel Status: While Spirited was a streaming success for Apple TV+, there are no official plans for a direct sequel as of late 2025. Director Sean Anders, however, has publicly stated "never say never," leaving the door open for a potential follow-up if the right story emerges.
2. The Unmade Deadpool Christmas Movie: A Lost Holiday Special
Perhaps the most fascinating and sought-after piece of Ryan Reynolds’ Christmas filmography is the one that never saw the light of day. Reynolds himself confirmed the existence of a fully written script for a Deadpool Christmas movie, which was shelved due to the massive Disney-Fox merger.
The Concept and The Writers
The holiday special was written by the original Deadpool creative team: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Ryan Reynolds. The concept was not just a standalone short but a feature-length film that would have injected the Merc with a Mouth's signature R-rated humor into the family-friendly holiday genre. Reynolds described the script as a true Christmas movie, albeit one featuring the world's most inappropriate superhero.
Why It Was Canceled
The project was a casualty of corporate restructuring. When Disney acquired 20th Century Fox in 2019, the focus shifted entirely to integrating the Deadpool character into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with the upcoming Deadpool 3. The Christmas movie, despite being a complete and ready-to-go script, got "lost in the shuffle," as Reynolds put it.
Fans continue to hold out hope that this script might be dusted off one day, perhaps as a Disney+ special or a one-off animated feature, but as of now, it remains a legendary piece of unproduced Christmas cinema.
3. Rumors and Upcoming Holiday Projects (2025/2026)
In the world of blockbuster stars, rumors constantly circulate, and Ryan Reynolds is no exception, especially with the holiday season approaching in late 2025. While Spirited remains his only confirmed Christmas movie, the public is always searching for the next big project.
The "Holiday Spirit (2025)" Trailer
In the lead-up to the 2025 holiday season, a teaser trailer for a movie titled "Holiday Spirit (2025)" featuring Ryan Reynolds, Jason Statham, and Morgan Freeman began circulating online. This trailer, which suggests a high-octane action-comedy twist on the Christmas theme, has generated significant buzz. However, it is crucial for fans to note that this project has not been officially announced or confirmed by any major studio, including Maximum Effort, Reynolds’ own production company. It is highly likely that the circulating teaser is a sophisticated, fan-made concept trailer or a deepfake, common in the age of viral content, rather than a legitimate upcoming film. Fans should treat all details about "Holiday Spirit" with extreme caution until a major studio or Reynolds himself confirms the project.
The Future of the Holiday Musical
Given the success of Spirited, the door is wide open for Reynolds to return to the holiday musical format. His experience on the Apple TV+ film proved he is willing to commit fully to unexpected genres. While no sequel is confirmed, the positive critical and audience reception for the musical numbers and the chemistry with Will Ferrell means a future collaboration on a different holiday-themed project is a strong possibility. For now, fans can re-watch Spirited to enjoy his definitive Christmas performance while waiting for the next official announcement.
Detail Author:
- Name : Melany Gusikowski
- Username : madge53
- Email : moore.valentin@hotmail.com
- Birthdate : 1988-06-22
- Address : 40830 Lemke Crossing Apt. 145 Beierfort, KY 53847-7850
- Phone : (248) 286-9769
- Company : Sawayn, Bayer and Schinner
- Job : Crushing Grinding Machine Operator
- Bio : Quaerat iusto vero repellendus molestias. Vel occaecati voluptatibus labore iure. Omnis fuga assumenda cumque odit et dicta maxime. Adipisci debitis culpa aut quo non earum et rem.
Socials
twitter:
- url : https://twitter.com/rita_feil
- username : rita_feil
- bio : Modi consectetur soluta sed excepturi illum. Expedita officiis repellat omnis sapiente et accusantium dolor. Voluptatem sunt doloremque sit quo.
- followers : 1721
- following : 1553
facebook:
- url : https://facebook.com/rfeil
- username : rfeil
- bio : Voluptatem non debitis non qui ea. Repudiandae sed quia ut maiores.
- followers : 120
- following : 2047
instagram:
- url : https://instagram.com/rita_feil
- username : rita_feil
- bio : Et recusandae quo aliquam qui. Ea sit iusto voluptatem. Dolorem optio nisi aut sint.
- followers : 1215
- following : 914
linkedin:
- url : https://linkedin.com/in/feil2007
- username : feil2007
- bio : Sed laboriosam debitis est eaque.
- followers : 6609
- following : 1103
tiktok:
- url : https://tiktok.com/@feil2003
- username : feil2003
- bio : Illum velit commodi quas. Non explicabo voluptas dignissimos cupiditate.
- followers : 5522
- following : 1676
