For all of their popularity and profitability, comic book movies still haven't received much attention from big awards ceremonies. Sure, they might earn a nomination for costume design or sound design, but the most prominent awards remain elusive to even the most well-crafted superhero films. However, Ryan Reynolds seems to think that Logan may be the movie to push through those barriers and become a genuine Oscar contender this year. The Deadpool actor explained:
Logan looks like a movie that might break that glass ceiling. I know first hand that it's amazing. I've seen some of it. It's mind-blowing.
Don't take Ryan Reynolds' words to Variety on this matter lightly. He has seen James Mangold's work on Logan, and he seems to think that it could become the comic book movie to finally earn the respect of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Granted, it's entirely possible that he's simply being nice to his close friend and X-Men co-star (he does have amazing chemistry with Hugh Jackman), but this is a statement that we can't ignore.
Anyone who has seen even the smallest portion of Logan's marketing campaign can already tell you that it's swinging for the fences to send Hugh Jackman out on a high note. The film takes an incredibly stripped-down approach to the comic book genre (at least compared to its more bombastic contemporaries), and it appears to tell a very gripping story about a man coming to terms with the end of his life. Between that emotionally jarring plot and the fact that this will likely be the end of the line for Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart in the X-Men franchise, you will probably want to bring a box of tissues with you when you get a chance to see Logan for the first time.
Of course, it's also worth noting that Ryan Reynolds' own superhero franchise has done quite a bit of work for the legitimacy of the comic book genre as well. Although we don't anticipate any Oscars for Deadpool this year, the film has gone on to garner two Golden Globe nominations -- one for Best Actor and one for Best Comedy/Musical. That's not bad for a hard-R comic book movie centered on bloody action and dick jokes.
Whether or not Logan will actually go on to achieve any degree of recognition from the Academy Awards (or any other major awards ceremony for that matter) remains to be seen. That said, we will certainly have a better sense of its chances when it debuts on March 3 of this year. Stay tuned for more details!
Just in case you need any further convincing, take a look at the official trailer for Logan on the next page for an even better look at Hugh Jackman's final outing as the clawed anti-hero.
