Ryan Reynolds is well known for his more comedic (and sometimes raunchy) production, but he’s also no stranger to heartfelt projects. And his latest endeavor might be his most personal yet. The multi hyphenate is co-producing a documentary with Colin Hanks about the late John Candy and, judging by his recent comments, it’s not just another biopic — it’s a sentimental tribute to Candy’s film legacy. Listening to Reynolds explain his reasoning for making the movie has me already emotional, and I haven’t seen a single frame.
Reynolds opened up about his documentary during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The comedic actor specifically spoke to just how much the project means to him and, quite frankly, this sounds incredibly personal:
I’m making a documentary about John Candy. Colin Hanks is also doing it with me. I get to meet heroes. There was a group of eight to ten people that really were generation-defining creators. It’s wonderful to talk to storytellers about a beautiful man, who was a beautiful storyteller, who passed at 43, way too young.
As he works with Colin Hanks on the project, Ryan Reynolds feels apparently feels a strong bond with John Candy. During his career Candy starred in some of the best ’80s movies, and his legacy has arguably only grown since his passing in 1994. The late actor is known for classics like Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Uncle Buck and Cool Runnings, and many of Candy’s lines are still quoted today. However, Reynolds isn’t just focused on the laughs, as he explained:
He was so generous with people and he was a good person when no one was watching. And I think that’s really important.
Despite there being stories of Candy’s occasional chaos on set, Reynolds highlights the late comic’s warmth and humility as core to his legacy, alongside his comedic brilliance. That’s exactly what the documentary hopes to capture: not just John Candy, the performer, but John Candy, the person. Fittingly, his daughter once shared that Uncle Buck reflected his real personality the most. All in all, I’m loving what I’m hearing about this doc so far, and I’m not sure I’m prepared for it.
Details about whether or not the documentary will hit the 2025 movie release schedule or what platform it’ll drop on are still under wraps. Yet the creative team behind it is enough to give me confidence in the project. Colin Hanks has built a strong reputation for heartfelt and insightful documentary work (Eagles of Death Metal: Nos Amis) and, combined with the Free Guy alum’s production savvy through his Maximum Effort banner, this promises to be something special.
In an age where nostalgia is often mined for content, this doesn’t feel like that. It feels like a love letter. A chance to reintroduce a comedy giant to a new generation, and remind those who grew up with him why John Candy mattered then and why he still matters now.
As Ryan Reynolds put it, it’s about “talking to storytellers about a beautiful man, who was a beautiful storyteller.” That sentiment alone is enough to get any fan emotional. So count me in.