In fairness to Ryan Reynolds, he has made several attempts to branch out and further show off his acting prowess. For the most part though, these roles haven’t been as well-received. With Reynolds playing to type so often, audiences may not feel ready to embrace a different side of the actor. Thus, Reynolds’ few departures from his usual demeanor may have taken away from his box office draw. Some of these roles came before “The Proposal” proved audiences could buy him as a romantic lead, while others arrived before “Deadpool” solidified his superhero success.

Films like the 2010 thriller “Buried” and the 2007 mystery “The Nines” showed a more nuanced, serious character actor hiding in Reynolds’ leading man body. In “Buried,” Reynolds pulls off an entire film by himself — literally, as he’s the only on-screen character. In “The Nines,” Reynolds shares the screen with Octavia Spencer, Hope Davis, and Melissa McCarthy, who has also made a successful transition from pure comedy to dramatic acting parts. Reynolds show phenomenal range by portraying three different characters in the film.

Both films bombed at the box office, although “Buried” was critically acclaimed and certified “fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes. Even though Reynolds inhabited his off-brand roles well, his attempts to branch out did not reap financial rewards.