After The Fall Guy‘s strong critical response, Ryan Gosling may be best avoiding a $200 million movie sequel. 2023 proved to be a great year for Ryan Gosling as he co-starred in the highest-grossing movie of the year, and although he didn’t quite manage to carry this box office appeal into 2024, The Fall Guy still performed well critically. The Fall Guy‘s box office struggles didn’t reflect the audiences’ views on the film, as the action flick was received positively across the board, proving it was a successful outing for Gosling despite the financial issues.

While there are no updates on The Fall Guy 2 officially happening, Gosling has claimed there is a script ready for the film, suggesting there is franchise potential. This seems far more exciting than a potential $200 million sequel that Gosling has been associated with. Before his Oscar-nominated Barbie performance in 2023, Gosling starred in a huge Netflix movie with a $200 million budget. Despite its huge budget and large viewership, the film failed to leave a lasting impact among critics, and The Fall Guy proves Gosling would be best to avoid returning to the franchise.

The Gray Man Was A Waste Of Ryan Gosling

The Gray Man Failed To Utilize Ryan Gosling’s Incredible Range

Netflix’s The Gray Man accumulated plenty of viewers for the streaming platform, but it failed to get the best out of Ryan Gosling. While the premise had potential and some audiences seemed to enjoy it, the movie completely wasted its biggest star. Although his Barbie performance didn’t happen until the following year, Gosling was already an Oscar-nominated actor heading into The Gray Man, making his relatively uninspired character all the more disappointing. Whereas Chris Evans played a more charismatic and memorable villain, Gosling was restricted to a more bland and stoic hero who never fulfilled his potential.

This had less to do with Gosling’s performance, and more to do with the forgettable material he was given. Remarkably, The Gray Man broke Gosling’s four-year acting break, making the disappointing script even more frustrating. Although The Gray Man is one of Netflix’s most-watched movies ever, it still let down Gosling, who has proven how great he is in the right environment. Fortunately, The Fall Guy showcased how to utilize Gosling in an action setting, but this only makes The Gray Man’s failure worse, as the actor’s range and comedic timing prove he can deliver a far better performance.

The Fall Guy Shows How Good A Ryan Gosling Action Movie Can Be

Ryan Gosling’s Performance In The Fall Guy Massively Outperformed His Role In The Gray Man

In contrast to The Gray Man, The Fall Guy flaunted Gosling’s action qualities by combining his charisma and comedy skills to create the perfect setting. Barbie showed just how hilarious he can be if the plot permits it, and The Fall Guy allowed him to provide plenty of laughs while still being a compelling hero. The chemistry between Gosling and Emily Blunt also gave the film an engaging love story without sacrificing any of the drama. The Fall Guy‘s stunts and action scenes avoid being generic and allow its star the chance to shine with fun quips and interesting dialog.

His more mellow and serious performance in The Gray Man restricted what makes Gosling so compelling, whereas The Fall Guy leaned into his comedic and sarcastic side to elevate his role. Gosling feels like a true star in The Fall Guy as he is able to show off far more personality compared to his Netflix film, proving he is capable of leading a blockbuster. Despite its financial shortcomings, the actor’s recent hit proves what franchise he should pursue if he wants to stay in the action genre, while The Gray Man is a movie better off left behind.

Is The Gray Man 2 Still Happening?

There Are Limited Updates About The Gray Man 2’s Status

While The Gray Man 2 looked like it was on the cards, news about the sequel has cooled off, creating questions about whether it is still happening. Recent updates regarding The Gray Man 2 suggest Gosling isn’t currently in talks to reprise his role, casting further doubt about a sequel being greenlit. Netflix hasn’t confirmed the project, but director, Joe Russo, has suggested that the movie is in development and that he is attempting to create a story for the sequel. Unfortunately, all the recent updates around The Gray Man 2 only raise more questions than answers.

Although the critical response was poor, the movie does have a great audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and performed well for Netflix, meaning there is demand for a sequel. It may be far from Gosling’s best outing, but there is undoubtedly an audience that would want to see him appear again, and considering the sequel hasn’t been officially canceled, it could still happen. The latest news suggests that The Gray Man 2 won’t happen anytime soon, but even if the sequel is still in the works, it hopefully won’t impact Gosling’s involvement in a potential new The Fall Guy movie.