Ryan Reynolds shares heartfelt update on upcoming John Candy documentary

Ryan Reynolds is deep into work on his highly anticipated documentary about beloved Canadian comedian John Candy, and the deeper he dives, the more personal the project becomes.

Appearing recently on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Reynolds opened up about what it’s been like to honour the life of the late Planes, Trains and Automobiles star. “I get to meet heroes,” he said. “There was a group of eight to ten people that really were generation-defining creators, and it’s wonderful to talk to storytellers about a beautiful man, who was a beautiful storyteller, who passed at 43, way too young.”

Directed by Colin Hanks and produced through Reynolds’ Maximum Effort banner, the still-untitled documentary aims to spotlight not just Candy’s comedic genius but also the kindness and generosity that defined him off-screen. “He was so generous with people, and he was a good person when no one was watching,” Reynolds said. “And I think that’s really important.”

Reynolds first announced the project in October 2022 with a tweet: “With John Candy trending, I’ll just say I love him. So much so, @MaximumEffort is working on a documentary on his life with @ColinHanks. Expect tears.” The announcement was warmly received by Candy’s children. His son, Christopher, confirmed the news, while his daughter, Jennifer, added, “Boom! So looking forward to working on this with them and our family. This project is in great hands.”

This isn’t the first time Reynolds has publicly honoured the comedy legend. On the 25th anniversary of Candy’s death in 2019, he released a tribute montage celebrating his most iconic roles and encouraged a new generation to discover his work. “He was a treasure,” Reynolds wrote.

John Candy died on March 4, 1994, at the age of 43, while filming Wagons East in Durango, Mexico.