How Ryan Reynolds And Dwayne Johnson Totally Delayed Netflix’s Red Notice With Their Shenanigans

Dwayne Johnson in Baywatch (2017)

Netflix's upcoming movie, Red Notice, is one of the many films that’s currently at a stand still in regard to its production cycle. The film began shooting in Atlanta back in January but was forced to stop filming in March. While the current state of the world is the main reason the project has been delayed, there may be another reason as well. And Ryan Reynolds has humorously pointed out that it may have something to do with him and co-star Dwayne Johnson.

Ryan Reynolds recently joked that he and Dwayne Johnson are responsible for delaying Red Notice and cites their close relationship as the cause. Specifically, it’s their desire to make each other crack up that Reynolds claims holds the schedule up:

I’ve known Dwayne for like 15 years, so we tend to spend time trying to make each other laugh. Which is a really irresponsible thing to be doing with Netflix’s money. But it makes for a good movie at the end. Once you get take 28 down, you’re set!

Still, Ryan Reynolds explained, during a recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, that it’s Dwayne Johnson’s sense of humor that endears them to each other. Reynolds especially loves the fact that the former wrestler knows how to laugh at himself:

I think one of the reasons I’ve been friends with him for a long time is that he really laughs at himself, which is one of the things I love about him. So if you kind of parrot back his thing that he’s doing in the movie […] just 27 percent faster with a swear word at the end. He's gone. He leaves the room and he never comes back.

And it sounds like it can literally be painful for the two to keep their composure while shooting. Reynolds even described holding back laughter to the point that he feels actual discomfort:

It’s like a compound problem. Now the pressure’s on to not laugh. Usually I seriously hurt myself. Like I’ll charley horse myself as hard as I possibly can. Like a tiny stab wound in a nonvital organ area. Just to keep it together.

Even though he’s only kidding about the delay, you likely know exactly how Ryan Reynolds feels, especially if you’re someone who has a close friend (or several). Almost all of us have pals that we constantly joke with whenever we’re around them.

With two comedic actors like Ryan Reynolds and Dwayne Johnson on set, it’s almost a given that you’re going to burst into a fit of laughter at some point. Because they're so close (and so funny), one can definitely see them trying to make each other break character. If their track records are any indication, this chemistry should definitely be present in their performances when Red Notice finally hits our screens.

Erik Swann
Senior Content Producer

Erik Swann is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He began working with the publication in 2020 when he was hired as Weekend Editor. Today, he continues to write, edit and handle social media responsibilities over the weekend. On weekdays, he also writes TV and movie-related news and helps out with editing and social media as needed. He graduated from the University of Maryland, where he received a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After shifting into multi-platform journalism, he started working as a freelance writer and editor before joining CB. Covers superheroes, sci-fi, comedy, and almost anything else in film and TV. He eats more pizza than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.