Ryan Reynolds and Jason Momoa’s R-Rated Live-Action/Animated Animal Friends Won’t Roar Into Theaters Until 2027

So, if you were looking forward to seeing Ryan Reynolds and Jason Momoa team up with cartoon animals in the near future, you might want to dial down the excitement a bit—Legendary's part-animated, part-live-action comedy 'Animal Friends' just hit the snooze button until 2027. Yes, you read that right. We're not talking about a brief delay. We're jumping all the way to January 22, 2027. Welcome to the reality of trying to wrangle one A-lister for press—never mind a whole group.

Why the Wait?

According to the folks at Warner Bros., this isn't about reshoots or creative disasters (at least, not yet). It's all about "talent scheduling." That means the main cast—who are, let's be fair, all busy enough to make your own calendar cry—can't seem to find a window to launch this one the way the studio wants. In case you missed it, here’s who’s supposed to be in the movie:

• Ryan Reynolds
• Jason Momoa
• Aubrey Plaza
• Dan Levy
• Lil Rel Howery
• Addison Rae
• Ellie Bamber

They’re all apparently too busy to do promotion at the same time—so, just push the movie a couple years down the road. Happens all the time when you stack your cast like a supergroup.

What Exactly is 'Animal Friends'?

This isn’t just another family-friendly animal adventure that your six-year-old will drag you to. ‘Animal Friends’ is set to mix live-action and animation with what looks like a more R-rated edge. The director? Peter Atencio, who you might know from Keanu (that movie with the gangsters chasing the cat) and some really solid work on 'Key and Peele.' So at least there’s hope for real comedy here.

The script is by Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider. The basic setup is two runaway animals make an epic trek across America, hoping to find their old ranch and patch up their friendship—in true ‘road trip with shenanigans’ style. Meanwhile, there’s a mismatched duo of law enforcement (DEA agent and Fish & Wildlife ranger) chasing them, each with a chip on their shoulder and something to prove. Think buddy comedy, with animals, but a little stranger than usual.

Legendary, Maximum Effort (Reynolds’s company), and Prime Focus Studios are producing. So yes, Reynolds is juggling the acting and the back-end, too.

What Else Are These People Up To?

If you’re wondering why this cast can’t get their schedules to line up, just look at what’s on their plates:

Ryan Reynolds never seems to say no to a project. He’s got an action-comedy called 'Mayday' in the works, written and directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein (the guys behind Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves). Reynolds plays Lt. Troy 'Assassin' Kelly stranded in Soviet territory. The rest of that cast? Kenneth Branagh, Maria Bakalova, David Morse, etc. It's a busy set.

Jason Momoa is bouncing between finishing up DC’s 'Supergirl,' some sort of 'Street Fighter' project, 'Dune: Part Three' with Denis Villeneuve, and is currently filming 'Protecting Jared'—which, by the way, is another action comedy (seriously, does anyone just do drama anymore?) with Jai Courtney, Andy Samberg, and others. He’s also prepping for 'A Minecraft Movie 2' with Jack Black, Danielle Brooks, Matt Berry, Jennifer Coolidge, and Kirsten Dunst. So, yeah, imagine trying to get him to a junket.

Looking Ahead (Way, Way Ahead)

If you’re frustrated, I get it. 2027 feels like an eternity to wait for a film that sounds this weird and potentially fun. But if the people behind Key and Peele and a line-up like Reynolds, Momoa, and Plaza can pull something fresh out of a tired live-action/animation formula, it might be worth the patience.

And this line from the synopsis is a nice peek at the tone they’re going for:

'Two fugitive animals embark on an adventure across America to find the ranch that was once their home, healing their friendship while pursued by an equally odd-couple DEA agent and Fish and Wildlife ranger with something to prove.'

Personally, I think this pairing has a shot—if we ever actually get to see the movie. What do you think? Is this a dream team or just another piece of 'movie news' that’ll vanish before 2027? Let me know in the comments if you’re still paying attention by then.