There’s a reason why Kevin Feige felt the need to point out that Deadpool 3 isn’t going to shoot until at least next year, because Ryan Reynolds has an awful lot of work to get through first. The prolific actor has a dozen projects in various stages of development, with buddy comedy sequel The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, video game-inspired blockbuster Free Guy and Netflix’s Red Notice all in the can awaiting release, while he’s currently hard at work on the streaming service’s time travel adventure The Adam Project.
One of the various upcoming movies on his schedule has now jumped to the front of the queue, though, with Octavia Spencer signing on this week on for Spirited, which is a musical inspired by A Christmas Carol. Daddy’s Home duo Sean Anders and John Morris wrote the script and will also direct, with Reynolds and Will Ferrell on board to play the lead roles and produce.
Based on the amount of money that’s been spent on Spirited already, the holiday musical looks to be positioned as a major event release. AppleTV+ reportedly outbid Netflix, Paramount and Warner Bros. to secure the rights, with both Reynolds and Ferrell said to be earning in excess of $30 million each for starring and producing through their respective Maximum Effort and Gloria Sanchez companies.
Academy Award winner Spencer will play a co-worker of Reynolds’ Scrooge surrogate, with Ferrell set to portray the Ghost of Christmas Present. That makes it look like a foregone conclusion that Spirited will be next up for the 6 Underground star once he finishes up on The Adam Project, and it might even be ready for release by this year’s festive season if Apple can turn it around quick enough.
