Ryan Gosling Reveals the Famous Role He Decided To Walk Away From

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The search for the right actor to play the Joker in David Ayer’s Suicide Squad was a huge topic of conversation in Hollywood. While the film ultimately received mixed reviews, it initially felt like a bold new direction for superhero movies. With the director of Training Day at the helm, expectations were high, but they still needed someone who could convincingly portray the iconic villain.

Sources at IndieWire report that the filmmakers first approached Ryan Gosling to play the part. Although reimagining such an iconic villain might have appealed to him, Gosling declined because he was already committed to other projects. At the time, he was busy filming both the clever detective story The Nice Guys and the hugely popular musical La La Land, which later earned him an Oscar nomination.

Ryan Gosling wasn’t just worried about having a packed schedule; he also hesitated at the lengthy contracts often required for comic book movies. He valued being able to choose diverse roles and didn’t want to be tied to one franchise for ten years. Ultimately, he passed on the opportunity, and given his later success with films like First Man and the huge hit Barbie, it seems like a smart move for his career.

The thought of Ryan Gosling playing the Joker is still a fascinating “what if” in the world of movies. Fans often speculate about how his natural charisma and talent for portraying complex, reserved characters would have fit the Joker’s wild and unpredictable personality. Although Jared Leto ultimately played the part, many believe Gosling could have brought a more realistic and nuanced performance to the iconic villain.

Ryan Gosling’s decision demonstrates that he values diverse and interesting roles over the guaranteed success of a big superhero film. He consistently chooses smaller, unique projects, which keeps his career fresh and allows him to collaborate with highly acclaimed directors. Though he hasn’t played a major villain yet, most believe turning down Suicide Squad was a smart choice for his career goals.

Ryan Gosling has a busy year ahead, and his dedication to diverse roles is clearly working well. He’s currently finishing up work on Project Hail Mary, a highly anticipated sci-fi movie coming to theaters on March 20th. In the film, he plays Ryland Grace, a scientist who mysteriously wakes up on a spaceship with no memory of why he’s there, tasked with saving the world. The movie also stars Sandra Hüller and Ken Leung.

Besides his space-related projects, Ryan Gosling has just finished filming a new Star Wars movie. Called Star Wars: Starfighter, it’s directed by Shawn Levy and is expected to come out in the summer of 2027.

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2026-01-29 22:45