How to Stream the Ryan Reynolds Movie ‘Free Guy’
The countdown for Free Guy is coming to an end. The Ryan Reynolds movie will immerse viewers into its video game universe, but the character Guy isn’t just a happy-faced bank teller; he has the chance to be the hero of his own pixelated world.
If anyone hasn’t heard, Free Guy will reach theaters on Friday, Aug. 13, 2021. However, streaming movies has become the go-to for numerous moviegoers. Several other films have had dual releases in theaters and on streaming platforms. So, for those who don’t prefer the theater, how can they watch the new flick?
‘Free Guy’ offers a unique spin on video games
The trailer shows the happy-go-lucky, seemingly perfect character, Guy. Viewers quickly catch on that there is something different about him and his community, Free City. Once a mysterious woman walks into his bank, Guy learns the cold, hard truth.
After finding out that he is a non-playable character in a game, Guy has a chance to save his community. Two programmers developed the open-world video game, and Guy takes a stand against the program.
The character then struggles to come to terms with his reality. After opening up to his friend, Guy is torn between accepting the truth. Guy asks his friend in the released clip, “Buddy, if we’re not real, doesn’t that mean that nothing you do matters?”
Guy soon creates a name for himself and establishes himself as the “good guy” character. However, the programmer isn’t too happy about this. So, he wants to shut the game down permanently.
According to D23, Reynolds commented on his perspective of the film. The actor said, “The movie has a lot of themes that I think resonate with people. For me, it’s about when we band together and come out of the shadows, we can do anything–if we’re unified agents of change. That’s what this movie’s about: People who are in the background getting to step into the light and make a difference.”
When and where will ‘Free Guy’ stream?
Free Guy was originally scheduled for a 2020 release but was postponed due to the pandemic. Now that it’s here, the movie will only run in theaters. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bob Chapek (Disney’s CEO) confirmed that Free Guy would have an exclusive 45-day theatrical run before anyone can stream it.
Nevertheless, Free Guy will stream on one of Disney’s platforms. Since the movie was produced by 20th Century Studios and the Walt Disney Company acquired it, Disney now has the ball in its court. Therefore, audiences can bet on either a Disney+ or a Hulu release. However, multiple studios agree that the movie is more adult-oriented and thus leaning toward Hulu.
Other Disney films had hybrid releases
When movie theaters reopened in 2021, most assumed they would see fewer streaming options for new films. But studios gave several productions day-and-date releases, including Cruella, Jungle Cruise, and A Quiet Place Part II.
A noteworthy backlash, though, broke headlines in the summer of 2021–Scarlett Johansson, the star of Disney’s Black Widow, blamed the studio for her movie’s hybrid release. In her lawsuit, Johansson claimed the company promised her an exclusive theatrical run.
Oddly, Chapek gave Free Guy and Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings their 45-day exclusive theatrical release. The confusion continues over why certain productions got the hybrid end of the deal while others hit the box office.
Related: Is ‘Cruella’ Star Emma Stone Following in Scarlett Johansson’s Footsteps and Suing Disney Now Too?
