By Mr. Will Wong
At long last, FREE GUY is set to arrive in theatres after multiple delays, but if you’ve heard the chatter, you’ll soon understand why this epic Comedy has been saved for our return to the theatres! Full of heart and surprises, the Film from Director Shawn Levy centers on a Bank Teller named Guy (Ryan Reynolds) who discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game, ultimately becoming the hero of his own story…out to save the world!
We had the joy of sitting-in on the global Press Junket for this hilarious Blockbuster and in-attendance were a star-studded group:
Shawn Levy – Director
Ryan Reynolds – Guy
Jodie Comer – Millie/Molotov Girl
Joe Keery – Keys
Lil Rel Howery – Buddy
Taika Waititi – Antoine
Utkarsh Ambudkar – Mouser
Shawn Levy talks about the excitement of the world finally getting to see FREE GUY.
Levy: Well, it has been a ride and a longer wait than we expected but this Movie was such a delight to make. The making of it was pretty joyous and fun, we’re just really excited to get to share a movie that has that same fun and delight and warmth that was on-set. Hopefully it translated to the screen. In some of these early reactions it’s been really affirming and all coming through to audiences the way we hoped.
Ryan Reynolds talks about stepping into the world of a wholesome hero.
Reynolds: My default is just pure trash on the inside so this is slightly new for me. There’s a movie I like called ‘Being There‘ starring Peter Sellers and it was like the first foothold I hand into this world. There’s something really wonderful about playing a character who’s kinda naive and innocent. In a sense, he’s like a four-year-old adult. So there’s something kinda fun about exploring everything with new eyes, which is what this character gets to do, and filtering that through the prism of Comedy. I love playing a character who’s stepping out of the background and into this new person.
Jodie Comer does double duty as Molotov Girl and Millie and tells us about balancing this.
Comer: One thing which draw me to the role was the Team – working with the Creators of the Film and also the sheer imagination the Script has. I remember reading it and thinking ‘Omigosh, how is this gonna translate onto the screen?’. You have the real world mixed-in with the Video Game and I think it was just the scope of it and how much heart it had. You see that it’s written about as an Action-Comedy, but you see there’s so much more to that. It provokes so much emotion in you. I think it was the imagination the Script had for me.
Mariah Carey’s ‘Fantasy‘ plays a pivotal role in Free Guy and the question is asked about why this song in particular.
Levy: Ryan is a maestro of the odd, random but inspired song idea. He was obsessive about it early on as we were working on the Script. He said, ‘You know what I think should be the entire anthem of the Movie and marketing campaign?’. He suggested this song by Mariah and we know that by the Third Act of the Movie we have a cover of that song by our very own Jodie Comer!
Reynolds: In the earliest drafts we’d written The Outfield‘s ‘Your Love‘ and it ended-up not fitting right. It’s a great song but Mariah Carey‘s ‘Fantasy‘ just came in like a lightening bolt. It was like an engine through so much of the Movie. It’s really fantastic!
Reynolds and Howery talk about the central theme of friendship in the Film.
Howery: I like when I get to the end of it and that’s where the audience sees the last speech Buddy gives before this big thing happens. It is always weird when you do big speeches like this, you get emotionally tied to it. I remember shooting with Shawn and I had to go take a walk. I wasn’t gonna tear-up in front of him. Buddy has a couple of those moments which is what I love about the character, it’s that his innocence that came with how comfortable he was with his friendship. It is something really beautiful that happens towards the end that Buddy discovers with his best friend. It’s another conversation in the beginning Guy trying to convince him what the sunglasses was showing him. Buddy just stuck to his ways and we just saw the heart of him open and open which is why I live this character so much. People are really surprised how much heart it has. Yeah, you’re gonna tear-up!
Taika Waititi steals the show as villainous Antoine and talks about his character.
Waititi: I didn’t really know what to expect or what I was doing. We had one phone call (with Shawn) and I hadn’t really met you. Shawn described the character and that appealed to me. I just play visions of my mom in all my characters and so this was my little vision of my mom. I’ve actually met a lot of people like this in America and it’s what I think of Americans… at CAA parties.
Utkarsh Ambudkar and Joe Keery tell us about their characters’ catch phrases.
Keery: I think the best catch phrase is ‘catch-phrase’. I think that’s genius. I don’t feel my character really has a catch phrase.
Ambudkar: I don’t remember. Was it ‘Go Time? Yeah it’s Go Time, baby!’. That’s all me. I desperately tried getting Taika’s character on-board in this mentor/mentee-type relationship. Antoine is not having it at all. I think it makes for a funny chemistry between us. All of us got really lucky this whole Cast works really well together. Everyone makes each other look good. It’s rare you get this many people who get this energy going with each other so that’s awesome.
The Gaming industry is not unlike the Film industry in that they are male-dominated. Jodie Comer comments on the parallels in her character(s) and real life.
Comer: It was incredible and a huge part of what attracted me to the piece, especially having this girl Millie and Molotov being a creation of her. It was so important that it was always an essence of Millie but that Molotov was also very different so I really focused on the physicality. There is a lot of nuance within her world and even looking into how male-dominated that industry is, which is kinda similar to my own and those kind of fights we’re definitely up against, and the resilience in which that created in her. There was so much for me to play with. That was always really present and thought about from the moment I got the Script, the first draft to the moments we were on-set playing around, changing things. It was such a great experience bringing my own ideas to play.
Ryan Reynolds and Lil Rel Howery talk about the friendship they formed on and off-screen in FREE GUY.
Reynolds: Rel’s character and I live on this intersection a little bit on the page, a little bit on the moment. But I feel that’s the case of every single person on this webinar. Everybody here’s very good at creating and building and three-dimensionalizing their work. Rel and I immediately clicked. I was a huge fan of his. And we can all say he was a huge fan of Taika. It’s great to get out there, mess around and play and form that bond, and put it up on the big screen.
Howery: I mean for me it’s weird because Ryan Reynolds has been my friend in my head for a really long time. And to this day I don’t think he believes that I’m a legit fan. When he was winning everything with Deadpool I was calling people “I toldja! I toldja Ryan was a superstar!’. I don’t get nervous about meeting anyone but I was really nervous that first day. One of the fun things about this business is you get to work with people you really look up to, not just as an Actor but as a fan. I don’t know he’s gonna be my friend after this movie but we’re gonna enjoy the moment.
Levy and Reynolds tease the possibility of a Franchise for FREE GUY.
Reynolds: I hope we get to this again whether it’s in the form of a Sequel or something else. We’re lucky a couple people in here I’ve gotten to work with multiple times. If it’s not another FREE GUY movie or another movie in another form.
Levy: The short answer is ‘yes’. But I’ve made things that launched franchises and have made enough things to realize you just
I don’t know the outcome. We have flirted with some ideas but my favourite thing in Free Guy is that Taika‘s character in an original movie mocking the idea of releasing something new. It’s so rare a studio lets you make a big budget new movie. So to have Antoine played by Taika talking about sequels and having this cynical attitude towards them. I will say for anyone who’s seen the movie, if we do make Free Guy 2 it will be titled ‘Albuquerque, Boiled Turkey’! If you’ve seen the Movie you’ll get that joke! Based on one of 700 million improvised lines by Taika Waititi!
20th Century Studios Canada release FREE GUY August 13, 2021.
(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Studios)
20th Century Studios Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Passes to see FREE GUY! Screenings take place as follows:
Toronto – Wednesday, August 11 @ 7:30pm – Scotiabank Theatre
Vancouver – Wednesday, August 11 @ 7:00pm – Scotiabank Theatre
Calgary – Wednesday, August 11 @ 7:00pm – Scotiabank Theatre
Edmonton – Wednesday, August 11 @ 7:00pm – Scotiabank Theatre
Synopsis:
In Twentieth Century Studios’ epic adventure-comedy “Free Guy,” a bank teller who discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game, decides to become the hero of his own story…one he rewrites himself. Now in a world where there are no limits, he is determined to be the guy who saves his world his way…before it is too late. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Lil Rel Howery, Joe Keery, Utkarsh Ambudkar and Taika Waititi, “Free Guy” is directed by Shawn Levy from a screenplay by Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn and a story by Lieberman. The film is produced by Ryan Reynolds, p.g.a., Shawn Levy, p.g.a., Sarah Schechter, Greg Berlanti and Adam Kolbrenner with Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen, George Dewey, Dan Levine and Michael Riley McGrath serving as executive producers. FREE GUY is in theatres August 13, 2021.
To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and in the comments there, indicate your City! For an extra chance, RT this Contest Tweet from @mrwillw.
Enter for a chance to #win Advance Screening Passes to see #FreeGuy in select cities!
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) August 4, 2021
How: https://t.co/mcWK2PDowr pic.twitter.com/U4LsePBfLH
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(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Studios Canada)
In anticipation of their new Film FREE GUY, Jodie Comer and Ryan Reynolds go head-to-head to compete on who knows more about Canada!
Synopsis:
In “Free Guy,” a bank teller who discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game, decides to become the hero of his own story…one he rewrites himself. Now in a world where there are no limits, he is determined to be the guy who saves his world his way…before it is too late. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Lil Rel Howery, Joe Keery, Utkarsh Ambudkar and Taika Waititi, “Free Guy” is directed by Shawn Levy from a screenplay by Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn and a story by Lieberman. The film is produced by Ryan Reynolds, p.g.a., Shawn Levy, p.g.a., Sarah Schechter, Greg Berlanti and Adam Kolbrenner with Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen, George Dewey, Dan Levine and Michael Riley McGrath serving as executive producers.
FREE GUY arrives in theatres August 13, 2021.
(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Studios Canada)
How’s this for a stacked Cast? Ryan Reynolds, Gal Gadot and Dwayne Johnson! RED NOTICE is coming this November to Netflix as announced earlier today!
Synopsis:
An Interpol-issued Red Notice is a global alert to hunt and capture the world’s most wanted. But when a daring heist brings together the FBI’s top profiler (Dwayne Johnson) and two rival criminals (Gal Gadot, Ryan Reynolds), there’s no telling what will happen.
RED NOTICE arrives on Netflix November 12, 2021.
(Photo credit: Netflix)
Ryan Reynolds is back in FREE GUY! Check-out a brand-new version of the Trailer!
Synopsis:
In “Free Guy,” a bank teller who discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game, decides to become the hero of his own story…one he rewrites himself. Now in a world where there are no limits, he is determined to be the guy who saves his world his way…before it is too late. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Lil Rel Howery, Joe Keery, Utkarsh Ambudkar and Taika Waititi, “Free Guy” is directed by Shawn Levy from a screenplay by Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn and a story by Lieberman.
20th Century Studios release FREE GUY is in theatres August 13, 2021.
(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Studios)
Ryan Reynolds is back in HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD! The Sequel follows the smash success of its 2017 Predecessor. Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek, Frank Grillo, Richard E. Grant, Tom Hopper, Antonio Banderas and Morgan Freeman star.
Synopsis:
The world’s most lethal odd couple – bodyguard Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) and hitman Darius Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson) – are back on another life-threatening mission. Still unlicensed and under scrutiny, Bryce is forced into action by Darius’s even more volatile wife, the infamous international con artist Sonia Kincaid (Salma Hayek). As Bryce is driven over the edge by his two most dangerous protectees, the trio get in over their heads in a global plot and soon find that they are all that stand between Europe and total chaos. Joining in the fun and deadly mayhem are Antonio Banderas as a vengeful and powerful madman and Morgan Freeman as… well, you’ll have to see.
See the new Trailer!
VVS Films release HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD in theatres June 16, 2021.
(Photo/video credit: VVS Films)
Ryan Reynolds is back in FREE GUY, coming soon to theatres!
Synopsis:
Ryan Reynolds stars as a bank teller who discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game, and decides to become the hero of his own story—one he rewrites himself. Now in a world where there are no limits, he is determined to be the guy who saves his world his way, before it is too late.
See the Trailer:
20th Century Studios release FREE GUY August 13, 2021.
(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Studios)
A new Canadian release date has been set for the theatrical release of THE CROODS: A NEW AGE.
About THE CROODS: A NEW AGE
The Croods have survived their fair share of dangers and disasters,from fanged prehistoric beasts to surviving the end of the world, but now they will face their biggest challenge of all: another family
The Croods need a new place to live. So, the first prehistoric family sets off into the world in search of a safer place to call home. When they discover an idyllic walled-in paradise that meets all their needs, they think their problems are solved … except for one thing. Another family already lives there: the Bettermans.
The Bettermans (emphasis on the “better”)—with their elaborate tree house, amazing inventions and irrigated acres of fresh produce—are a couple of steps above the Croods on the evolutionary ladder. When they take the Croods in as the world’s first houseguests, it isn’t long before tensions escalate between the cave family and the modern family.
Just when all seems lost, a new threat will propel both families on an epic adventure outside the safety of the wall, one that will force them to embrace their differences, draw strength from each other and forge a future together.
The Croods: A New Age features the voice talent of returning stars Nicolas Cage as Grug Crood, Catherine Keener as Ugga Crood, Emma Stone as their daughter, Eep; Ryan Reynolds as Eep’s boyfriend, Guy; Clark Duke (Hot Tub Time Machine) as Thunk and Cloris Leachman as Gran. They’re joined by new stars Peter Dinklage (HBO’s Game of Thrones) as Phil Betterman, Leslie Mann (Blockers) as Hope Betterman, and Kelly Marie Tran (Star Wars: Episode VIII-The Last Jedi) as their daughter, Dawn.
The film is directed by Joel Crawford.
Universal Pictures Canada release THE CROODS: A NEW AGE Wednesday, November 25, 2020.
(Photo credit: Universal Pictures Canada)
Check-out this new Trailer for FREE GUY starring Ryan Reynolds!
Synopsis:
In “Free Guy,” a bank teller who discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game, decides to become the hero of his own story…one he rewrites himself. Now in a world where there are no limits, he is determined to be the guy who saves his world his way…before it is too late. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Joe Keery, Lil Rel Howery, Utkarsh Ambudkar and Taika Waititi, “Free Guy” is directed by Shawn Levy from a story by Matt Lieberman and a screenplay by Lieberman and Zak Penn.
See the Trailer:
20th Century Fox Canada release FREE GUY Friday, July 2, 2020.
(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Fox Canada)
What’s the best part of being dead? See Ryan Reynolds in Michael Bay’s 6 Underground to find out!
Screening details:
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
7:00 pm
TIFF Bell Lightbox
350 King St. W
We’re celebrating the release of Michael Bay’s action-packed thriller 6 Underground starring Ryan Reynolds and you can too! Enter to win tickets to attend an EXCLUSIVE screening event in Toronto on December 10th. At the screening – a host from Virgin Radio will draw the name of one lucky guest in the audience who will win a Samsung 75” QLED Q60R 4K Smart TV – imagine enhancing your own Netflix cinematic viewing experience at home with a Samsung QLED TV, where even the smallest details in every scene are revealed with exceptionally rich and life-like colours with super high resolution expressed in any light, making you feel like you are in every scene! Also – everyone at the screening will take home an official 6 Underground beanie!
About 6 Underground:
What’s the best part about being dead? It isn’t escaping your boss, your ex, or even erasing your criminal record. The best part about being dead…is the freedom. The freedom to fight the injustice and evil that lurk in our world without anyone or anything to slow you down or tell you “no.”
6 Underground introduces a new kind of action hero. Six individuals from all around the globe, each the very best at what they do, have been chosen not only for their skill, but for a unique desire to delete their pasts to change the future. The team is brought together by an enigmatic leader (Ryan Reynolds), whose sole mission in life is to ensure that, while he and his fellow operatives will never be remembered, their actions damn sure will.
Watch the Trailer:
To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook. Re-Tweet this Tweet from @mrwillw for an extra chance!
Rules and regulations here.
6 Underground releases on Netflix on December 13th, 2019.
(Photo/video credit: Netflix)
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