Ryan Reynolds & Blake Lively achieve insane box office record after 34 years

Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool & Wolverine and Blake Lively in It Ends With UsMarvel Studios/Sony Pictures Releasing

It’s been a long time since a Hollywood it couple dominated the box office together – 34 years, to be precise – but now Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have blown a record out of the water.

Sometimes it doesn’t matter how much we love new movies – if they’re not big box office hits, they won’t get as much attention. While movies like Longlegs have surprised us, others like Borderlands have catastrophically tanked.

For those who like the numbers behind the movies, there’s some good news. Thanks to Hollywood juggernauts Reynolds and Lively, it’s the first time in 34 years that a couple has dominated the global box office simultaneously.

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For context, the last time this happened was in 1990, when Bruce Willis and Demi Moore were starring in Die Hard 2 and Ghost at the same time.

“That’s quite an accomplishment,” one fan posted in response to the news on X/Twitter.

A second agreed, “Historic moment created by wonderful couple,” with a third weighing in, “Even though Bruce and Demi are divorced they are still united as a family and that makes them such a power couple. Congrats to both of them and Ryan and Blake are the best.”

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In terms of numbers, Deadpool & Wolverine is staying in the number one position. Globally, it’s made over $1 billion dollars… and it’s only been out for three weeks. It’s also the first MCU movie to hit that milestone since the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Meanwhile, Lively’s adaptation of the Colleen Hoover novel It Ends With Us released on August 9, and pulled in over $50 million across its opening weekend. The film was co-financed for $25 million.

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However, while Deadpool & Wolverine was more of a hit with critics and fans alike, It Ends With Us has opened to mixed reviews (though there’s a Reynolds Easter egg if you were paying attention to Lively’s interviews).

In our own, we describe the movie as “frustratingly average – something we’ve had plenty of in 2024. Peppered with solidly portrayed, surface-level trauma, the movie acts more as a showreel for how cool Blake Lively is, and how much we want to be her regardless of what life throws at us.”

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Both Deadpool & Wolverine and It Ends With Us are in theaters now. Ahead of your double bill, check out every Deadpool variant and Wolverine variant, alongside the best rom-coms of all time. You can also find new movies streaming this month.