The popularity ofRyan Reynoldsis undeniable, and his 2021 mid-pandemic release ofFree Guyproved that even during a global crisis, the Canadian actor can pack people into cinemas. However, those waiting for a sequel have been givena disappointing update from 20th Century Studios boss Steve Asbell.
Free Guybecame one of the shining beacons of light in theaters as one of the first movies to really draw people back out of their homes following months of closures due to the Covid pandemic. While many other studios were opting to avoid cinemas with delays or alternate streaming release strategies,Reynolds and director Shawn Levy had enough faith in their hilarious comedy to push Disney to release the film in theatersand not send it straight to streaming.That ended up delivering a $331 million gross on the back of its $100 million budget, and some stellar reviews to boot.
However, whileReynolds and Levy both suggested thatFree Guy 2would happen, there has been very little said about the sequel since – until now. During an interview withThe Hollywood Reporter, Asbell provided an update of sorts, but not the one that fans really wanted to hear. Asked whether there was an update onFree Guy 2, he said:
Not yet. [Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds] have to come up with an idea. And they’re just busy.
Free Guy is Streaming on Disney+
Free Guyis one of those movies that taps into a clever concept and, thanks mostly to the merger between Disney and Fox, delivers an abundance of cameos and references to many other movies and franchises that just make it a visual treat. This is certainly what fans thought, asthey scored it a huge 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, and couldn’t stop praising the film.
In the movie, Reynolds plays Guy, a non-playable character in a video game world of Free City, who breaks away from his instructed programming and begins a quest to save his world from the real-world programmers intending on shutting everything down. There are some truly inspired moments in the movie – includinga Chris Evans cameothat foreshadows his willingness to work with Reynolds again onDeadpool & Wolverine– and the kind of meta in-jokes that Reynolds excels at, making it unsurprising thatFree Guyvery quickly gained a strong following.
Free Guy Cast: Other Roles You’ve Seen the Actors Play
Free Guy features an ensemble cast of some of the most exciting actors working today. Here are other roles you’ve seen them play.
Back in 2023, while preparing to deliverDeadpool & Wolverineto the world, Levy shared his thoughts on makingFree Guy 2, suggesting that there was certainly a chance for the movie to happen, but there was aBarbie-sized roadblock to overcome. He said:
“I think it is definitely not assured. We love Free Guy and the love for Free Guy that has kind of resonated in aftershocks, if you will, in the last couple of years. That’s been thrilling to Ryan [Reynolds] and I. We are developing a sequel, but the truth is that you now have Barbie that has obviously left a mark about a character in a fictional world who comes to self-awareness. So, we’re only gonna make Free Guy 2 if it’s different than the first movie and if it’s different from other movies.”
