When Movie Stars Become Brands

Patrick (H) Willems

24 Nov 202359:25

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis video essay analyzes the careers of Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Ryan Reynolds, examining how they have shifted from ambitious actors taking risks to celebrity entrepreneurs focused on brand consistency. It traces their origins in wrestling and comedy, gradual rise to fame, and eventual stagnation into repetitive onscreen personas used to promote their various businesses. The host argues they are wasting opportunities afforded few actors today to work with top directors on artistically challenging films. He contends their primary motivation now is expanding their companies, not artistic growth, leading to increasingly bland roles. The video makes the case that modern celebrity requires maximizing social media imprints and synergistic ventures over quality films.

Takeaways

😀 Ryan Reynolds and Dwayne Johnson have become more known for their personal brands and businesses than their acting
🎬 Their on-screen personas have flattened into repeatable formulas instead of taking risks like earlier in their careers
💰 They seem more focused on their entrepreneurial ventures like Aviation Gin and Teremana Tequila
🎥 Their recent films feel more like vehicles to promote their brands rather than quality cinema
👔 Their personas now project inoffensive universal appeal like a political candidate
🚫 They avoid controversy, politics, sexuality or anything that could damage their brand image
🤑 Success with Deadpool and Fast Five enabled them to control their projects and leverage fame into business
😡 Patrick argues they are wasting opportunity when few stars get big original films made now
🎞 He wants them to link up with great directors and make riskier artistic choices again
📺 The video ends promoting an upcoming ambitious holiday special video essay

Q & A

What are the main points of criticism against Johnson and Reynolds?
-The main criticisms are that they have flattened their on-screen personas into repeatable formulas, stopped taking risks with interesting roles, and now their movies feel like extensions of their personal brands rather than quality films.
How did Reynolds first establish his signature on-screen persona?
-In the early 2000s with roles in the sitcom Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place and the comedy National Lampoon's Van Wilder, where he played an effortlessly cool confident guy delivering sarcastic one-liners.
How did Deadpool change Reynolds's career?
-Deadpool's surprise success in 2016 cemented Reynolds as a bankable movie star. It also influenced his onscreen persona and humor across films and social media, as well as his approach to marketing through his company Maximum Effort.
What was The Rock's original wrestling persona?
-He started as Rocky Maivia, a smiling good guy and third generation wrestler, but crowds rejected him. He then became a villain as part of the Nation of Domination stable, leaning into his natural edge and charisma.
How did Johnson transition into movies?
-He followed the Arnold Schwarzenegger blueprint - starring in action movies, then family films, while modeling his career choices on him. His big break was joining Fast Five in 2011, becoming the franchise's "Viagra".
Why does Johnson no longer play certain types of roles?
-As he has focused more on his businesses and brand image, his on-screen persona has become that of a heroic family man. This likely helps his mainstream appeal but means no guns, sexuality, or other controversy.
What happened when The Rock returned to WWE in 2011?
-He feuded with John Cena in a real-life grudge match centered on Johnson prioritizing Hollywood over wrestling. This led Johnson to further redefine himself away from his wrestling past.
How have Reynolds and Johnson's businesses affected their films?
-Their increasing business ventures seem to have become the priority, leading to playing safe, repetitive roles in forgettable films. Maintaining brand consistency across movies and ads limits their creative choices.
What does the author suggest they do instead?
-Take more artistic risks, work with bolder directors who challenge them, diversify their roles again instead of relying on repetitive formulas, and focus more on quality films over businesses.
Are Reynolds and Johnson examples of a new kind of movie stardom?
-Potentially - they could represent a new celebrity model spanning acting, social media influencing, and entrepreneurship. But it comes at the cost of interesting film work.

Outlines

00:00

🎥 Introducing product placement and branded entertainment in Red Notice

The opening scene of Red Notice features blatant product placement for lead actors Ryan Reynolds and Dwayne Johnson's own brands - Aviation Gin and Teremana Tequila. This makes the movie feel like an overlong commercial rather than a genuine creative work.

05:01

🎶 Musical interlude

A short musical interlude featuring sounds of applause and upbeat music.

10:02

👥 Patrick clashes with new co-host Nobl the Content Gobler

Patrick expresses frustration with his new co-host Nobl the Content Gobler, who he feels is interrupting him and promoting questionable ideas. There is debate over whether Nobl actually helps engage the audience.

15:05

📈 Ryan Reynolds and Dwayne Johnson build brands through acting

Reynolds and Johnson use their fame as actors to promote their personal brands and business ventures like mint mobile, Aviation gin, Teremana tequila and Zoa energy drinks. Their acting roles have started to feel secondary to their goal of selling products.

20:06

🎞️ The Rock's origin as a heel in the WWE

The Rock started as a good guy or 'babyface' in the WWE, but was rejected by fans. He then became a villain or 'heel', insulting fans and joining a black power group. This edge made him popular during the Attitude Era of the late 90s.

25:09

🌟 Johnson and Reynolds become proper movie stars

After years of ups and downs, Reynolds found success with Deadpool while Johnson broke out in the Fast Five movie. They can now leverage their fame to choose any projects and collaborators they want.

30:12

🍸 Business ventures become the priority

Inspired by George Clooney's $1 billion tequila sale, Reynolds and Johnson started their own liquor brands. Now their priority seems to be promoting these businesses through shallow acting roles.

35:12

😇 Reynolds & Johnson play repetitive vanilla heroes

In the past decade, Reynolds and Johnson have played the same generic personas across films - Reynolds as a smug fast-talker, Johnson as a stoic, non-sexual family man. Their roles feel consistent to promote their brands.

40:13

📉 Johnson's heroic formula leads to diminishing returns

After a string of bland hero roles, Johnson's recent films like Jungle Cruise have underperformed. He is retreating to the Fast franchise and his old wrestling persona to reconnect with fans.

45:15

🎥 What Reynolds and Johnson should be doing instead

They should take more artistic risks and work with visionary directors like Schwarzenegger did. But building business empires is likely their priority over chasing acting prestige.

50:17

🚀 Are Reynolds and Johnson the movie stars of the future?

Maybe they are pioneers of an new era - actor-influencer hybrids who seamlessly blend entertainment and entrepreneurism. But their current output suggests profit over artistry.

55:20

🎄 A holiday spectacular coming next month on Nebula!

A big 1960s style holiday variety special featuring songs, guests and more is premiering next month on Nebula. Sign up using the Black Friday deal to access it and fund more original content.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡movie stars

The video discusses the careers of two current movie stars, Dwayne Johnson and Ryan Reynolds. It talks about how they have evolved over time and how their focus has shifted more towards business and branding rather than acting and filmmaking. Examples from the script include "there are so many weird things about this the way he describes movies as properties", "I've launched some big properties in my career from Jungle Cruise Jumanji Hobs and Shaw".

💡personas

The video analyzes how Johnson and Reynolds have crafted specific on-screen personas that they reuse across films. It suggests that this brand consistency with their characters has made their recent films feel generic. For example, "Reynolds quickly established more or less the screen Persona he would have for the next 20 years" and "over the past six or seven years Johnson and Reynolds have narrowed their movie roles into nearly identical personas that they keep across all their movies".

💡businesses

A major theme is how Johnson and Reynolds have prioritized their business ventures like liquor brands and production companies over the quality and range of their acting roles. The video traces the timeline of the different companies they have founded and suggests the businesses have become their top priority now.

💡franchises

The video discusses franchises like Deadpool and Fast and Furious that boosted Reynolds and Johnson to movie stardom. It also suggests many of their recent non-franchise films deliberately try to launch franchises but without artistic merit.

💡social media

The video examines how Reynolds and Johnson use social media and YouTube to market their personal brands, promote their movies, and advertise their business ventures until everything blends together.

💡comedies

Early on, Reynolds and Johnson acted in various comedies that suited their talents. But the video argues they have lost the edge and complexity they brought initially, instead flattening themselves into generic comedic personas.

💡action

As action stars, the video praises some of their earlier tough guy roles but suggests their recent action films rely too much on CGI and cartoonish plots rather than real stunts that showcase their physical talents.

💡motivational

When discussing Johnson especially, the video notes how he has crafted a motivational speaker style persona recently that feels like he is running for political office rather than playing interesting characters.

💡serious roles

The video advocates for Reynolds and Johnson to take more serious acting roles that challenge their talents and on-screen personas, rather than simply repeating the same formulas.

💡movie stardom

Ultimately, despite the criticism, the video wrestles with Reynolds and Johnson representing a new form of movie stardom suited to the 21st century landscape but hopes they use their power and platforms for bolder film projects.

Highlights

Reynolds and Johnson have flattened their onscreen personas and movie roles into repeatable formulas

Their movies now feel like extensions of their brand spokesperson roles rather than genuine creative works

Reynolds embodied the popular frat guy persona early on, which defined his roles for years

Deadpool allowed Reynolds to redefine himself, leading him to focus on similar snarky characters

Johnson had an identity crisis early in his wrestling career before finding his heel persona

After failures, Johnson has retreated to comfortable franchises like Fast and Furious and Moana

Reynolds took risky artistic roles early on but now prioritizes his businesses over films

Johnson should collaborate with visionary directors to make visceral, reality-based action films again

Reynolds is effective when playing insincere characters who can't rely on their charm

Reynolds should follow Cruise's example and link up with exciting filmmakers

Johnson and Reynolds saw the film industry's collapse and pivoted to being entrepreneur-influencers

Their personas may just appeal to different tastes even if their films are artistically limited

It's possible Reynolds and Johnson simply have bad taste and like making these films

A new holiday special is premiering in December featuring songs, guests and revelations

Sign up for Nebula to access ambitious original content like the upcoming special

Transcripts

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