Ryan Reynolds to Reboot Clint Eastwood & Jeff Bridges' Crime Thriller Thunderbolt & Lightfoot

Ryan Reynolds continues to score more roles that are not related to his hit Marvel Cinematic Universe antihero, Deadpool. After joining the adaptation of a 70-year-old classic several days ago, he has scored another project based on a 51-year-old thriller.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Reynolds is set to star in a remake of 1974’s Thunderbolt and Lightfoot. The upcoming project will feature Reynolds as the lead and producer. The original starred Clint Eastwood and Jeff Bridges.

Aside from starring in the crime thriller reboot and producing, Reynolds will also co-write the script with Enzo Mileti and Scott Wilson. The writing team previously wrote for the hit crime series Fargo Season 4. The Thunderbolt and Lightfoot remake will have Shane Reid at the helm, in his directorial debut after editing Reynolds’ Deadpool & Wolverine.

The 1974 classic crime action comedy featured Michael Cimino in his directorial debut, who also wrote the film. It starred Clint Eastwood as a bank robber disguised as a preacher, John “Thunderbolt” Doherty, who is on the run and unintentionally rescued by a young low-level car thief named “Lightfoot.” The two decide to partner up and come up with a plan to team up with his old gang for a new bank job. However, nothing goes as planned.

The film was a critical success, earning Bridges an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, which was his second nomination in the same category after 1971’s The Last Picture Show. The film had a positive reception and the time, which also translated to current times. On Rotten Tomatoes, the action crime comedy boasts a stunning 89% approval score and 73% from the audience.

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot was also a massive commercial success. Produced on a sizable budget between $2.2 million and $4 million, it grossed $25 million during its theatrical run. Adjusted to inflation, that is roughly the equivalent of almost $200 million, per In 2013 Dollars.

The new reboot would also mark the perfect Deadpool & Wolverine reunion. Hugh Jackman and Reynolds have been longtime friends and, after their huge success with their joint superhero film in 2024, they are supposed to reunite for Deadpool & Wolverine’s Shawn Levy’s new movie, Boy Band. Considering Thunderbolt and Lightfoot already starred two big A-listers, the reboot would give the duo the perfect opportunity to flaunt their unbreakable chemistry.

Ryan Reynolds Is Making Interesting Career Changes

DeadpoolJay Maidment /© Marvel / © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

Since 2016, Reynolds has been undeniably tied to the role of Deadpool. The Merc with a Mouth fits the actor perfectly, who is known for his tongue-in-cheek humor and comedies. However, even before that, Reynolds was usually typecast as the funny guy with little to no substance, with few exceptions like 2005’s The Amityville Horror, 2010’s Buried, or 2014’s The Voices, among some other underrated options. However, even with Deadpool & Wolverine breaking records, Reynolds is now making several interesting career shifts.

Aside from Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, which could be a return to form, but also an opportunity for Reynolds to further develop his action star skills, he is also set to play his full-on villain role in Eloise. He was recently cast in the live-action adaptation of the children’s books of the same name in Netflix’s upcoming project, which will have Gilmore Girls’ creator Amy Sherman-Palladino as director. While it’s unclear what his latest projects say about his availability for a new Deadpool movie, or an appearance in the superhero-studded Avengers: Doomsday, his recent choices are exciting.

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot doesn’t have a release date.