EYES ON THE FRANCSHISE, EYES ON THE EMPIRE
FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF HER HUSBAND’S SUCCESSFUL CAREER PATH
RYAN REYNOLDS & THE POWER OF A FRANCSHISE
A STRATEGIC PLAYBOOK for CREATIVE FREEDOM
Ryan Reynolds didn’t just luck into franchise fame. He studied the system, stumbled through it, and eventually cracked the code. Before he became the face of Deadpool, Reynolds was like a lot of up-and-coming actors—taking jobs that paid the bills, even if the scripts weren’t exactly inspiring.
In a 2015 Los Angeles Times interview, he was pretty honest about it. “When you're just starting out, the security of a paycheck looms larger than the promise of artistic fulfillment,” he said. Translation: sometimes you take the gig, even if it’s R.I.P.D..
But after a rough stretch of big-budget misses—Green Lantern, The Change-Up, R.I.P.D.—Reynolds hit a crossroads. The work wasn’t clicking creatively, and audiences weren’t buying in either. That’s when he decided to double down on something different.
Article: LA Times - Feb 10, 2015 - Interview with RR
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-ryan-reynolds-voices-20150210-story.html
Deadpool Changed Everything
Deadpool wasn’t just another role for Reynolds—it was the role. He spent years pushing to get the movie made the right way, staying loyal to the tone and weirdness of the character fans loved. It was risky, especially after his last superhero outing tanked. But when Deadpool finally hit theaters, it exploded. Critics loved it, fans went wild, and the film made, well, a f*ck-ton of cash.
The movie broke records for R-rated superhero films and proved that audiences were hungry for something that didn’t feel like the same old formula. And for Reynolds, it wasn’t just a win at the box office—it gave him serious credibility and freedom.
One of the biggest success stories for RR, was his vision and dedication to the making of Deadpool. We would be fools not to acknowledge his contribution to the franchise’s success. Deadpool’s success is attributable to Ryan. Full stop. In a great interview with GQ, RR opens up quite a lot about his personal and professional life. Deadpool wasn’t just another superhero flick. It was his passion project, one that he championed for years, fighting to bring the irreverent, fourth-wall-breaking character to life the right way. The result? A record-shattering success that redefined the R-rated comic-book movie genre and catapulted Reynolds into a different stratosphere of creative and financial autonomy.
Franchises = Freedom?
In a GQ profile later that year, Reynolds talked about what franchise work really means for actors. He didn’t roll his eyes at actors joining Marvel or DC. He got it. “A lot of them are incredible artists,” he said. “A lot of them are incredible artists, and they need to have a franchise in order to pursue a lot of the other interests that they may have. It works as a bit of a conduit to the material that they want to be pursuing when they’re not shooting the big franchise.” - Basically, being in a franchise can be the ticket to everything else—indie films, side projects, or starting a company. And Reynolds ran with that idea harder than just about anyone.
Article: September 21, 2015
https://www.gq.com/story/ryan-reynolds-deadpool-gq-cover
From Superhero to Super Investor
Since Deadpool, Reynolds has built out a seriously impressive business resume. He became part-owner of Aviation Gin (which he helped sell for hundreds of millions), helped grow Mint Mobile before it was acquired by T-Mobile, and got involved with everything from Wrexham AFC to a growing list of media and tech ventures. According to a 2024 ThomasNet article, his investment portfolio is stacked.
Article about RR’s investments: 03.07.2024
https://www.thomasnet.com/insights/ryan-reynolds-companies/
The Bigger Picture
What Reynolds understood early on is that success in a franchise doesn’t mean giving up control—it can actually give you more of it. It’s smart, calculated, and built on the visibility—and leverage—that came from leading a hit franchise. Reynolds didn’t “sell out.” He bought in. And it paid off. f you play it right, being the face of a billion-dollar movie can unlock doors in business, creative projects, and beyond. It’s not about being famous. It’s about what you do because you’re famous.
BLAKE LIVELY'S CAREER BEFORE IT ENDS WITH US
AND RYAN REYNOLDS' PLAYBOOK
Blake Lively (might be) following her husband's script to success and honestly, why wouldn't she?
When it comes to Hollywood power couples, few are as well-matched—or as strategic—as Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. And while Reynolds’ career resurgence has been well-documented, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Lively might be quietly staging a career rebrand of her own—one that mirrors her husband’s in more ways than one.
It’s not a stretch to suggest she’s been inspired by his blueprint. After all, if you had a marketing mogul and franchise phenom in your corner, wouldn’t you take notes, too?
From Misses to Moves
Before Deadpool turned Reynolds into a household name and business heavyweight, he was grinding through box office duds and forgettable rom-coms. Lively had her own version of that phase—roles in films like Savages, The Age of Adaline, and All I See Is You showcased her talent but didn’t quite break her into the next tier of stardom. Much like Reynolds pre-Deadpool, she needed a pivot.
But where Reynolds’ transformation was front and center—bloody, loud, and fourth-wall-breaking—Lively’s has been quieter, more calculated. She stepped back from acting to raise three kids, but she didn’t disappear. She shifted gears, launching Betty Buzz, a line of non-alcoholic sparkling drinks, followed by Betty Booze, a gourmet low-alcohol alternative. Both brands landed strong—with Betty Booze now a top-ten player in its category, stocked in over 6,000 stores nationwide.
Behind the Bubbles: A Familiar Playbook
What’s interesting isn’t just that Lively’s brands have succeeded—it’s how they’ve succeeded. The quirky, irreverent tone of her marketing? The viral video spots? The blend of personal charm and slick branding? It all feels... familiar.
In fact, you could argue Reynolds’ fingerprints are all over them. And that’s not a dig—it’s a compliment. The man built a branding empire off Aviation Gin and Mint Mobile, largely through unexpected, meme-worthy marketing that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Now, Lively’s campaigns for Betty Buzz and Betty Booze are channeling a similar energy—witty, self-aware, and crafted to catch the internet’s attention without feeling like a hard sell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfJH_HWQTXU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JooUllWm73Q
Not the Same Exact Path—But awfully similar one
What makes Lively’s trajectory (well, what could have been) blueprint might be similar, the sequence was flipped. Reynolds hit business gold after reclaiming his narrative with Deadpool. Lively, on the other hand, is building her brand empire before what feels like a potential second act in Hollywood.
It’s not hard to imagine her angling for her own Deadpool—a project that’s big, buzzy, and undeniably hers. One that allows her to reintroduce herself, not just as “Blake Lively, and actress,” but as “Blake Lively, franchise force.” The business moves laid the foundation; now the question is whether she’s looking to top it off with a creative pivot. - And really—why wouldn’t she?
The Takeaway
Lively was set to be evolving in parallel. She’s carving her own lane, but the road signs are familiar: rebranding afteracting career plateaus, building business empires with bold creative, and positioning for the next big moment. It’s strategic. And most of all, it’s working. Well, it was. Until, you know what happened.
So was Blake Lively chasing her own Deadpool? Maybe. I certainly think so. But if she was, we shouldn’t be surprised. Because if you’re married to one of Hollywood’s smartest comeback stories, and you’re just as smart and ambitious yourself, wouldn’t you want your own? (We are still rooting for her here, ok? let's pretend we don't know the outcome of this blind ambition). Just like Ryan had done with his great comeback with Deadpool (a franchise), BL knew she had to find her next “big thing.”
BLAKE LIVELY’S & IT ENDS WITH US
If you’re still not convinced that Blake Lively was maneuvering her way into a Deadpool-style career renaissance by taking over It Ends With Us—potentially at the cost of creative collaborators like Justin Baldoni—then it’s time to zoom out. Because what’s at stake here isn’t just a film. It’s a formula. One that starts not with storytelling, but with sales. And Colleen Hoover's fandom? That’s the real jackpot.
Was Blake Lively Trying to Build Her Own Deadpool? All Signs Point to Yes.
When Blake Lively signed onto It Ends With Us, she wasn’t merely stepping into a role—she was stepping into a pre-assembled empire. Hoover’s books don’t just sell; they move culture. With over 35 million copies sold globally, Hoover has established herself not merely as a bestselling author, but as a literary brand.
Her breakout novel It Ends With Us alone has surpassed 10 million copies in global sales. The Hoover phenomenon isn’t driven by traditional literary circles—it’s fueled by the digital generation. Thanks to platforms like TikTok, Hoover’s reach has exploded. Under the hashtag #ColleenHoover, fans have racked up over 2.4 billion views. In 2022 alone, she sold 14.3 million books—a staggering 661% increase from the previous year.
The takeaway? These aren’t just books. They’re business. And Hoover, whether critics like it or not, is our era’s Nicholas Sparks—just with more trauma arcs and viral hashtags.
This was about Colleen Hoover's fandom, a goldmine for an actress guaranteed success. So when Blake Lively signed on for It Ends With Us, she wasn’t just signing on to act—she was buying into a pre-sold fanbase. The kind of audience that shows up no matter what. And that’s the kind of thing that screams "COMEBACK".
Monetizing the fandom
Given how often Blake and Ryan present themselves as an inseparable unit—across interviews, red carpets, and cheeky Instagram posts—it seems only fitting to bring Reynolds into the fold here. Especially because Lively’s move to secure It Ends With Us bears a striking resemblance to her husband’s own playbook.
In a GQ interview (linked earlier), Reynolds offered a comment that, while seemingly innocuous, may offer the first glimpse into how this strategy was seeded:
“Maybe. But then again—interestingly, thank God, there’s more and more opportunities for women now than there was... But, you know, Jennifer Lawrence, she’s a movie star. I personally would go see a movie based exclusively on the fact that she’s in it.”
Reynolds points to a world where star power trumps even plot. And that, perhaps, is the very space Lively hoped to step into. By attaching herself to a massively popular property like It Ends With Us, she wasn’t just acting—she was anchoring a franchise. Because Hoover’s audience? They show up no matter what.
It’s a proven Hollywood equation: rabid fanbase + bankable star = box office insulation. Sparks. Meyer. Collins. Now, Hoover.
Reynolds’ comments—rooted in recognition of the evolving space for women in Hollywood—feel eerily aligned with Lively’s next big move. It’s hard not to wonder: did she see It Ends With Us as her Deadpool moment?
Why the rush Blake?
One month before giving birth, Lively signed on to play Lily Bloom—a surprising decision, especially when considering her and Reynolds’ famously hands-on approach to parenting and family. This is not blaming nor shaming her for not staying home and raising her kids. This is directly tied to both Blake and Ryan's own words, about how they always stick together, how they never take on roles when one is working. Taking turns. So why now? Why this project?
If you don't agree with my interpretation of events before It Ends With Us and Blake Lively's plan for her career path, maybe Lively's own words can sway your opinion.
Watch from 3:22–4:52 - YouTube Interview
To paraphrase: Lively's commentary when asked about her first impression of the book or how she got the role, portrays her mindset from the get-go, as one of the first things she noticed was not the topic of the book, but rather the potential of a successful franchise.
“... that is the book that all my friends are obsessed with, everyone knows that.”
“I feel like I lived under a rock, until they came to me with this movie”“... - acknowledging the sheer volume of fan-following the books have
(her eyes were sparkling with money, not gonna lie)
In that moment, it’s not hard to see the parallels. Just like Reynolds saw the untapped potential in an R-rated superhero misfit, Lively saw a mega-popular book with the bones of a franchise.
Ryan Reynolds' Blueprint and Justin Baldoni' Resistance
Ryan built Deadpool from a passion project into a billion-dollar franchise by taking creative control. Blake wanted her own version—her own edgy, female-led breakout hit with massive built-in hype. She had the audience. She had the buzz. She may have even had the script hostage and rewritten iin her favor. But she didn’t get the franchise handoff that Ryan got with Deadpool. Because Unlike Tim Miller (the director of Deadpool), Justin Baldoni didn’t wave the white flag and walk away when it mattered the most. (I might have a look into the Bahá'í faith, because of this man’s patience and grace…)
Article: November 24, 2019 - Tim Miller talking about why he left the Deadpool franchise
https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a29931219/ryan-reynolds-deadpool-tim-miller/
"It became clear that Ryan wanted to be in control of the franchise," he said. "You can work that way as a director, quite successfully, but I can’t. I don’t mind having a debate, but if I can’t win, I don’t want to play. And I don’t think you can negotiate every creative decision, there’s too many to make. So Ryan’s the face of the franchise, and he was the most important component of that, by far. So if he decides he wants to control it, then he’s going to control it."
Lively did everything she could to recreate what Reynolds had achieved with Tim Miller—getting Justin Baldoni to step away willingly (or with a demand-ful knife to his throat). But, much to her disappointment (and our relief), he didn’t bow down to the final move in the execution of her (and Ryan's) MALICIOUS PLAN. And that may be the exact moment Blake’s plan hit a wall.
And for that, we owe a huge thanks to Stephanie Jones, Justin Baldoni's ex PR agent who was hell bent on revenge on Jennifer Abel, her employee, agent assigned to Baldoni and Wayfarer account. Jones has single handedly buried any and everyone who previously held Baldoni and the Wayfarer team hostage. Without her, Lively would have quietly taken over the movie behind closed doors instead of us, mommy and daddy sleuths, all rallying behind the underdog, in the name of justice.
If you're not familiar with Ryan Reynolds' career, both before and after Deadpool, this is the perfect place to dive in. I explore the parallels between his successful career trajectory and Blake Lively’s, highlighting the similarities in their paths and why I think and believe Blake was aggressively trying to take over It Ends With Us.
Blake Lively seizes power behind the scenes by leveraging her status and making aggressive demands, forcing her way into the editing process, controlling marketing materials, and sidelining both the director and the studio. Through strategic manipulation, she pressures Wayfarer and Sony into conceding to her demands, ensuring her version of the film takes precedence and weakening Baldoni’s role in the project.
Was there a smear campaign? I do a deep dive into the events between July and August 2024, when both PR teams faced a difficult challenge of managing the public image of the film, Lively and Baldoni. This is a very crucial timeline to understand, in order to make sense of what we are all witnessing now.
If you’re already familiar with the intricate details leading up to August 21, 2024, let’s dive straight into the Anita's (my) theory and why I think we are witnessing the unexpected legal drama unfold in front of us; my POV on grave miscalculations of Blake Lively camp and Bryan Freedman's legal strategy, as I have observed it so far.