It is often said that Ryan Reynolds only plays himself in movies. While it is not entirely false given that there is not much difference between the characters he usually plays and his personality in interviews and on social media, there was a time when the Deadpool actor was almost nothing like how he is typecast these days. After trying his hand at some truly fun comedies in the 2000s, the actor did some surprisingly intense movies.

Three particular performances of Reynolds in the horror genre, despite not being a fan of scary movies, can change anyone’s mind about Ryan Reynolds as an actor.

Pre-Deadpool Ryan Reynolds was not a household name as he is now. Back in the day, there was a phase when the actor mostly gave flops. In fact, he joined The Amityville Horror right after the nightmarish production of Blade: Trinity. Nonetheless, the movie became a symbol of those times when Reynolds was more than just the funny, conventionally attractive guy he is criticized for today. One of his first ever serious, progressively dark performances was showcased in the 2005 movie.

Putting Reynolds in a different frame, The Amityville Horror led the actor to go completely unkempt with shaggy hair to portray the possessed and menacing character.

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While it is a general consensus that The Amityville Horror was not a great film, it is the only movie that proves why Reynolds should go back to this genre.

Ryan Reynolds once again challenged his boundaries in 2010 with the survival thriller, Buried. It follows the claustrophobic survival story of Paul Conroy, who finds himself buried in a coffin. Throughout the film, it is only Reynolds who shines on the screen.

The reason being his stripped-down and intimate performance, completely devoid of any humor he is trademarked for.

Life is the only movie out of the three mentioned on this list that retains some comic elements in Ryan Reynolds’ character. However, not even halfway through the 2017 movie, fans see how gory, gross, and brutal it can get. The movie follows the story of six astronauts on a mission to inspect if there is life on Mars.

Even though Ryan Reynolds does not have a leading role in the movie, and gets rather limited screen time, Life is definitely a worthwhile horror cinema in Ryan Reynolds’ repertoire.

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What do you think about these three scary movies featuring Ryan Reynolds? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!