David Harbour Got Flop Advice From Ryan Reynolds After ‘Hellboy’ Tanked

Here’s the thing: nobody sets out to make a bad movie. But do to a confluence of unplanned events, studio demands, and poor creative choices, terrible movies just happen. David Harbour recently discovered this after his 2019 Hellboy reboot was a critical and commercial flop. So what did the Stranger Things star do in the wake of the box office bomb? He called up Ryan Reynolds, who has been there before. Reynolds starred in the 2011 disaster Green Lantern, a film widely regarded as one of the worst superhero movies ever made.

Since Green Lantern came out, Reynolds has poked fun at himself and the film, from adding Lantern jokes to his superior superhero series Deadpool to live-tweeting his reactions watching Green Lantern for the first time. Green Lantern was such a massive flop that many thought it would kill Reynolds’ career, before he made his well-earned comeback with Deadpool.

In a new interview with GQ, Harbour said “It was a very difficult experience because I wanted a lot out of it. I really like [Mike Mignola, Hellboy creator], I like that character, … And then immediately when it began, even when it was announced, I realized that people did not want that character reinvented. I was very naïve and optimistic about what we were going to do.” Harbour called Reynolds, saying “I know him a little bit. I called him and I was like, Hey man, I just need to know something. You know Green Lantern? Huge flop for you. What the fuck is that like, because I think I’m going to hit that right now. Am I gonna be okay? Am I gonna survive this?” According to Harbour, Reynolds was “sweet” and talked him down.

Of course, Harbour has bounced back from Hellboy, thanks to the massive success of the new season of Stranger Things, not to mentioned his well-received superhero do-over Black Widow. While flops are never the desired outcome, hardly any actors have made it out of Hollywood without a few regrettable films under their belt. And after all, Harbour got off light. At least he didn’t star in Morbius.

(via GQ, featured image: Warner Bros./Lionsgate)

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Chelsea Steiner

Chelsea was born and raised in New Orleans, which explains her affinity for cheesy grits and Britney Spears. An pop culture journalist since 2012, her work has appeared on Autostraddle, AfterEllen, and more. Her beats include queer popular culture, film, television, republican clownery, and the unwavering belief that 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' is the greatest movie ever made. She currently resides in sunny Los Angeles, with her husband, 2 sons, and one poorly behaved rescue dog. She is a former roller derby girl and a black belt in Judo, so she is not to be trifled with. She loves the word “Jewess” and wishes more people used it to describe her.

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