Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman Unveil Their Disney+ Series—First Details Tease a Must-Watch Team-Up

Well, this is a bit of an unexpected one. Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman are swapping claws and katanas for life jackets and speedboats in their latest project, and no, it’s not some off-the-wall superhero spinoff. Disney+ has just given the go-ahead to a brand new, as yet untitled, docuseries centred on competitive sailing – with Reynolds and Jackman front and centre. No, genuinely.

From Deadpool and Wolverine to Deck Shoes and SailGP

Here’s the setup: Reynolds and Jackman, as it turns out, are co-owners of a professional sailing team called the BONDS Flying Roos. Yes, that is their real name and, before you ask, yes, they race under the Australian flag. The Flying Roos used to go by 'Australia SailGP Team' and are basically a big deal in the SailGP world. Leading the team is Tom Slingsby, a bloke who’s racked up an Olympic gold, the America’s Cup, and three SailGP titles. Fair to say he’s not exactly new at this.

The show promises the sort of backroom access you normally only get if you actually own a boat, complete with all the onboard pressure, banter, and team drama you’d expect from one of the world’s more ridiculously stressful sporting circuits. It’s all about the family dynamic – loads of trust and camaraderie, but just as much rivalry, all played out with several tons of carbon fibre flying over the water at a frankly silly pace.

And let’s be honest – watching Deadpool and Wolverine muck in with a bunch of seasoned sailors does sound much more entertaining than the usual dry sporting documentary. Jackman and Reynolds are pretty tongue-in-cheek about the whole thing themselves, saying:

'This is our first collaboration since Deadpool & Wolverine and we once again anticipate action, comedy, heart, but with a lot more water. And (fingers crossed) pirates. We hope there’s pirates in SailGP.'

So What’s the Big Deal About SailGP?

Just to clarify what they’re signed up for: SailGP is basically F1 on water. The championship uses a fleet of identical, 50-foot catamarans that skim across the waves right up against the shoreline – so viewers actually get to see some action instead of blurry sails in the far distance. These boats can hit up to 100km/h, which isn’t exactly leisure cruising. There’s also a pretty hefty prize at stake: this season, teams are fighting for $12.8 million (USD) in prize money.

The series is coming together thanks to Reynolds’ own Maximum Effort (he’s really into this producing lark), plus Eureka Productions, SailGP itself, and the Flying Roos team. Brent Hodge, who’s got a few quirky docs to his name, is taking on directing and showrunner duties, and Rob Mac’s attached as executive producer.

• Star Power: Ryan Reynolds (yes, the Deadpool bloke) and Hugh Jackman (aka Wolverine) – co-owners, and on-camera
• Team: BONDS Flying Roos (formerly Australia SailGP)
• Team Captain: Tom Slingsby – Olympic champion, America’s Cup winner, SailGP legend
• The Sport: SailGP – global racing, identical boats, 100km/h races, big cash on the line
• Production: Maximum Effort, Eureka Productions, SailGP, Flying Roos
• Director/showrunner: Brent Hodge
• Where to watch: Disney+ globally, Disney+ and Hulu in the US
• Premiere date: Not announced yet – sit tight.

There was also the usual exec-level hype from Disney+'s Eric Schrier, who said the show would offer a thrilling look at top-level sailing and what it takes to compete at the very top. Make of that what you will – but with these two at the helm and the prospect of 'action, comedy, heart (and a lot more water)' promised, at least it won’t be boring.