#FIRSTLOOK: SHAWN LEVY TO BE INDUCTED ON CANADA’S WALK OF FAME

Canada’s Walk of Fame, the country’s highest honour for outstanding achievement, proudly announces that Montreal’s acclaimed filmmaker and director Shawn Levy will be inducted to its esteemed ranks. Known for bringing bold authentic and entertaining storytelling to the big and small screen, with credits such as Deadpool & Wolverine, Night at the Museum franchise, Stranger Things and the recently announced Star Wars: Starfighter –Levy returns to his Canadian roots to join this year’s extraordinary class of Inductees, which includes:

Liona Boyd (Arts and Entertainment) – Five-Time Juno Award-Winning “First Lady of Guitar”
Dr. Tirone David (Science, Technology and Innovation) – Pioneering Cardiovascular Surgeon
Dr. Samantha Nutt (Humanitarianism) – Champion of Children’s Wellness on the Frontlines of Global Crises
Our Lady Peace (Arts and Entertainment) – Multi-platinum, Diamond-Selling Band
Isadore Sharp (Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy) – Visionary Hotelier and Philanthropist
Mike Weir (Sports and Athletics) – The first Canadian golfer to win the Masters Tournament
Toronto International Film Festival (Arts and Entertainment) – The Largest Public Film Festival in the World
Tonya Williams (Arts and Entertainment) – Award-Winning Actress, Producer and Advocate

Click image to view & download Shawn’s Reaction Video from Japan.

Levy is the creative force behind some of the biggest film and television hits of a generation, as a Writer, Director and Producer. With a track record that spans genres and decades – and box office totals in the multi-billions – Levy has cemented his status as one of the most influential storytellers of our time. He first broke out with the 2000s classic Big Fat Liar, setting the stage for a string of blockbuster franchises including Cheaper by the Dozen, The Pink Panther, and Night at the Museum franchise, Free Guy and Deadpool & Wolverine. On the television side, Levy’s impact is just as profound, with hits like All the Light We Cannot See and the global phenomena Stranger Things further showcasing his creative vision and cultural influence. As the founder of 21 Laps Entertainment, Levy is rigorously committed to empowering filmmakers’ voice and vision, while remaining devoted to crafting stories built for audience connection and delight, with titles such as Academy Award®-nominated Arrival, The Spectacular Now, The Perfect Couple and Shadow and Bone.

“This year’s Inductees represent the very best of Canada – visionaries, pioneers, and changemakers who have shaped our cultural identity and elevated our global reputation,” said Jeffrey Latimer, CEO of Canada’s Walk of Fame. “From the world stage to the operating room, from the concert hall to the frontlines of humanitarian work, each of these remarkable individuals and organizations has made a lasting impact. We are proud to celebrate their extraordinary contributions and welcome them to Canada’s Walk of Fame.”

These nine extraordinary Canadians will join more than 230 Inductees who have earned their place on Canada’s Walk of Fame and will be honoured at the highly anticipated 2025 Induction Gala on Saturday, June 14th, 2025 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre – and evening that shines a spotlight on remarkable Canadians whose achievements have made a lasting impact.

For more information on Canada’s Walk of Fame, visit www.canadaswalkoffame.com.

#FIRSTLOOK: LUCASFILM ANNOUNCE THEATRICAL SLATE AT STAR WARS CELEBRATION 2025

Star Wars Celebration 2025 came to a close last night in Tokyo, after three days of nonstop excitement celebrating Lucasfilm’s impressive slate of major theatrical titles and live action and animated series and specials on Disney+. The weekend featured numerous big announcements, surprise celebrity appearances, and exclusive details and first looks at Lucasfilm’s landmark productions, all of which will continue to deliver unparalleled adventure and entertainment that is truly out of this world.

2025 marks the 16th occurrence of the bi-annual global event, and this year’s event was the biggest international Star Wars Celebration ever, with over 105,000 guests from 125 countries in attendance, which is an 8 percent increase in overall attendance from the last Celebration, which took place in 2023 in London. It was also the fastest Celebration to sell out. The three-day event, which took place at Makuhari Messe Convention Center in Tokyo, featured 26 hours of programming across the three main stages, and 100 hours of fan panel and podcast content.

The weekend got off to a big start on Friday, with news of an all-new theatrical release set in the Star Wars Galaxy. Lucasfilm’s president Kathleen Kennedy and chief creative officer Dave Filoni brought director Shawn Levy and Ryan Gosling to the stage to discuss “Star Wars: Starfighter (see photo above),” an all-new standalone adventure taking place approximately five years after the events of 2019’s “Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker.” The film, which will begin production this Fall, is an entirely new adventure featuring all-new characters set in a period of time that has not been explored on screen yet. “Star Wars: Starfighter” will be released theatrically May 28, 2027.

The excitement continued when director/co-writer Jon Favreau took to the stage to talk about Lucasfilm’s highly anticipated theatrical release “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” set to hit theatres May 22, 2026. Joining him were Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni and the film’s stars, Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, and Grogu himself, for a brief discussion of what fans can look forward to when the characters from the Emmy Award®-winning Disney+ series bring their biggest adventure yet to the big screen. In the film, the Mandalorian and his young apprentice, Grogu, embark on a thrilling adventure as they travel the galaxy. Behind-the-scenes images and an exclusive first look at the film were shared with the audience.

Friday’s festivities also included a special panel to celebrate Industrial Light & Magic’s contributions to the entertainment industry, as 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking visual effects company. The filmmakers from “Light & Magic” came to the stage to talk about the second season of the acclaimed documentary series, which first premiered in 2022 and is now streaming on Disney+. Lucasfilm’s “Light & Magic” Season 2 is a three-part series produced by Imagine Documentaries that follows Lucasfilm’s visual effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, as it enters its most challenging and revolutionary period: the dawn of digital. From creating the first fully realized CG character to solving the challenge of digital water, it is an era that finds ILM scaling new heights of innovation despite dramatic setbacks. The director is Joe Johnston, and the executive producers are Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Justin Wilkes, Sara Bernstein, Joe Johnston, Lawrence Kasdan, Kathleen Kennedy, and Carrie Beck. Jacqui Lopez, Ted Schillinger and Michael Garcia serve as co-executive producers. The series producers are Meredith Kaulfers and Christopher St. John, and Nicole Pusateri is the supervising producer.

Attendees heard from director Joe Johnston and producer Ron Howard via videotaped greetings, and Sam Witwer (voice of Maul) moderated a panel discussion comprised of Ahmed Best (Jar Jar Binks), Lynwen Brennan (president and general manager Lucasfilm Business), Doug Chiang (senior vice president and executive design director, Lucasfilm), Janet Lewin (senior vice president, general manager and head of ILM), John Knoll (ILM executive creative director, senior visual effects supervisor), and Rob Coleman (ILM creative director and senior animation supervisor). Filmmakers then unveiled the trailer and key art.

Also on Friday, a special Lucasfilm Animation Panel to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the division that created fan-favorite and critically acclaimed shows like “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” “Star Wars: Rebels,” and more. The panel was moderated by David Collins and included panelists Dave Filoni and Athena Yvette Portillo (vice president, animation production, Lucasfilm), and surprise guest Sam Witwer (voice of Maul).

Fans were treated to the world-premiere of the first episode of Lucasfilm Animation’s “Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld,” an all-new anthology series of animated shorts from creator Dave Filoni, which will premiere May 4, 2025, exclusively on Disney+. The popular series, which began in 2022 with “Tales of the Jedi” and continued in 2024 with “Tales of the Empire,” this time focuses on the criminal underbelly of the Star Wars galaxy through the experiences of two iconic villains. Former assassin and bounty hunter Asajj Ventress is given a new chance at life and must go on the run with an unexpected new ally, while outlaw Cad Bane faces his past when he confronts an old friend, now a Marshal on the opposite side of the law.

The panel ended with an announcement many fans have been waiting for: a brand-new series from Lucasfilm Animation, this one focusing on Maul: “Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord,” premiering on Disney+ in 2026, starring Witwer. Guests were then treated to an exclusive first look at the series, and gifted an exclusive Lucasfilm Animation special 20th anniversary poster.

Later that day, everyone’s favorite Pooba, Nubs, then came to the Star Wars LIVE! stage, where it was announced that the third season of “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” will debut this Fall on Disney+ and Disney Jr.

Set 200 years before “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace,” during the High Republic era, “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” follows Jedi Younglings Kai Brightstar, Lys Solay, and Nubs, as they study the ways of the Force, learn from Jedi Master Yoda, explore the galaxy, and help citizens and creatures in need. The upcoming episodes will see the Jedi kids embark on a journey into the delightful world of droid care, where they will befriend the lovable and quirky droid owner of a local shop, Dotti, and three adorable new droid friends: Beepers, Dozer, and Gigi.

The day ended with a photo call at Tokyo’s Zojoji Temple featuring Lucasfilm talent and filmmakers, including Kathleen Kennedy, Dave Filoni, Jon Favreau, Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Tony Gilroy, Diego Luna, Rosario Dawson, Hayden Christensen, Shawn Levy, and Ryan Gosling, as well as Grogu and the iconic Stormtroopers.

Saturday was devoted to the return of two of Disney+’s most popular series, as well as exciting news about a new LEGO® Star Wars animated project.

Hosts Sascha Boeckle and DJ Taro took to the stage to kick off the day with a thrilling look at the highly anticipated Season 2 of the Emmy®-nominated drama “Andor,” which returns to Disney+ for its long-awaited conclusion on April 22. The excitement started off with an exclusive look at a recap of Season 1. The duo then welcomed creator/writer/director Tony Gilroy and executive producer and Cassian Andor himself, Diego Luna, to the stage. They were joined by executive producer Sanne Wohlenberg and cast members Genevieve O’Reilly, Denise Gough, Kyle Soller, Adria Arjona, and Alan Tudyk, for a lively discussion of what fans have to look forward to in Season 2.

The 9,000 guests in attendance were treated to a screening of the first episode, followed by an exclusive preview of Season 2, and a special “Andor” celebration poster.

The second Season of “Andor” takes place as the horizon of war draws near and Cassian becomes a key player in the Rebel Alliance. Everyone will be tested and, as the stakes rise, the betrayals, sacrifices, and conflicting agendas will become profound. Rife with political intrigue and danger, the series is a prequel to “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” which portrayed a heroic band of rebels who steal the plans to the Empire’s weapon of mass destruction—The Death Star—setting the stage for the events of the original 1977 film. “Andor” sets the clock back five years from the events of “Rogue One” to tell the story of the film’s hero, Cassian Andor, and his transformation from disinterested, cynical nobody into a rebel hero on his way to an epic destiny. The final Season will unfold over 12 episodes broken down into four chapters of three episodes each. The first chapter of Season 2 will premiere April 22, with subsequent chapters debuting each week, exclusively on Disney+.

Also on Saturday, Celebration attendees were treated to an exclusive look back at the first season of “Ahsoka” with guests Dave Filoni, Jon Favreau, Rosario Dawson, and Hayden Christensen. Panelists shared never-before-seen photography from Season 1 and early production photography from Season 2. Filmmakers officially confirmed that Rory McCann has been cast in the role of fan-favorite character Baylan Skoll, originated by the late Ray Stevenson, and that Hayden Christensen will return as Anakin Skywalker in the upcoming season. The panel ended with an exclusive concept art preview of what audiences can expect from “Ahsoka,” Season 2, which officially begins production next week.

Later that day at the Star Wars LIVE! Stage, Ahmed Best thrilled attendees with the announcement of a new “LEGO Star Wars” animated sequel series, “LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild Galaxy – Pieces of the Past,” and an all-new teaser poster. In “Pieces of the Past,” a new threat rises in the galaxy, and Sig Greebling and Darth Dev must combine their powers of Force Building and Sith Breaking to stop it. Alongside Jedi Bob, Yesi Scala, and Servo, they will journey into the deepest corners of LEGO Star Wars lore, uncovering pieces of all the galaxies that have come before…

On Sunday, hosts Sascha Boeckle and DJ Taro provided fans a first look at Volume 3 of “Star Wars: Visions,” which will debut October 29, 2025, exclusively on Disney+, followed by a panel discussion featuring filmmakers from david production, Kamikaze Douga, Kinema citrus Co, Polygon Pictures, Production I.G, Project Studio Q, TRIGGER, and WIT Studio.

Volume 1 of “Star Wars: Visions,” which premiered in 2021, received an Emmy® nomination for the short, “The Duel.” The Emmy, Lumierre, and Annie Award-winning second volume was released in 2023, and featured shorts by global animation studios, including Aardman, Cartoon Saloon, Triggerfish, and Punkrobot.

With Volume 3, the animated anthology returns to where it all began with nine shorts from nine different anime studios to further demonstrate the diversity and creativity of Japanese animation.

The titles of each studio’s short, the directors, and key details were revealed for all nine shorts:

David Production – “BLACK”

Directed by Shinya Ohira

A psychedelic battle between past and present, light and dark, and life and death plays out in the haunted psyche of an Imperial trooper who is on the cusp of defeat.

Kamikaze Douga + ANIMA – “The Duel: Payback”

Directed by Takanobu Mizuno

With the help of some unexpected allies, Ronin faces off against his greatest foe – a twisted Jedi known as the Grand Master who is bent on revenge.

Kinema Citrus – “The Lost Ones”

Directed by Hitoshi Haga

After assisting refugees escape a natural disaster, an incognito F is forced to confront the ghosts of her past when their refugee ship is intercepted by the Empire.

Kinema Citrus – “Yuko’s Treasure”

Directed by Masaki Tachibana

A sheltered orphan teams with a street rat kid to rescue his droid caregiver and find a long lost treasure.

Polygon Pictures – “The Bird of Paradise”

Directed by Tadahiro Yoshihira

After she is blinded in battle, a hot headed Jedi padawan must undergo a series of spiritual trials in order to overcome the temptation of the Dark Side.

Production I.G – “The Ninth Jedi: Child of Hope”

Directed by Naoyoshi Shiotani

Pursued by Jedi Hunters, and blasted adrift into space, Kara encounters a seemingly abandoned ship tended to by a mysterious droid.

Project Studio Q – “The Song of Four Wings”

Directed by Hiroyasu Kobayashi

A princess-turned-rebel protects a child from the might of the Empire on a snowbound planet.

TRIGGER – “The Smuggler”

Directed by Masahiko Otsuka

A smuggler, desperate for a quick payday, agrees to take on a job to bring a wanted young prince to safety as the Empire pursues.

WIT Studio – “The Bounty Hunter”

Directed by Junichi Yamamoto

A rogue bounty hunter takes on a job for a shady industrialist that has unexpected consequences for her and her droid.

While complete cast details have not been announced, an exclusive sizzle was screened for fans in room (and on the Star Wars LIVE! Stream), which featured the voices of Ami Maeshima, Yasuko Hatori, Takako Honda, Yume Miyamoto, Makoto Koichi, and Chinatsu Akasaki from the Original Language cast, and George Takei, Sonoya Mizuno, Nick Kishiyama, Lincoln Bonilla, Jimmie Yamaguchi, Mike Bodie, and Stephanie Hsu from the English dub.

The day ended with an announcement from James Waugh, Lucasfilm’s senior vice president, franchise content and strategy, who also serves as an executive producer on “Star Wars: Visions,” that the series will continue with the creation of an all-new banner “Star Wars: Visions Presents,” which will be used to tell longer-form “Star Wars: Visions” stories. Kenji Kamiyama, who directed “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” joined Waugh on stage to announce the first title to be released under the new banner: “Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi.” Kamiyama will serve as supervising director of the limited series, which will continue the story of Lah Kara that first debuted in “Star Wars: Visions,” Volume 1. “Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi,” a new ‘Star Wars: Visions Presents’ limited series, will premiere on Disney+ in 2026.

Be sure to check out the 20th anniversary release of Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith,’’ in theatres on April 25. The film will run in theatres and select international territories for one week only, and will be available in several formats, including, for the first time, 4DX. Tickets are on sale everywhere tickets are sold.

#SPOTTED: RYAN REYNOLDS, HUGH JACKMAN & SHAWN LEVY IN TORONTO FOR “DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE”

It was a takeover! Marvel Studios’ DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman and Director Shawn Levy descended upon Toronto from New York, for a special fan event at Scotiabank Theatre. The venue was bought-out completely tonight for a special screening and red carpet which will be talked about for many years ahead!

This latest release from Marvel Studios already is drawing raves, where we see Deadpool pulled out of retirement to join forces with Wolverine – begrudgingly – to save the world from an existential threat.

The theatre – walls, concession stand and bathrooms even – were adorned completely in posters and branding from the Film. An exclusive live taping with eTalk at 299 Queen Street West also was held across the road from the theatre. Fans began queueing in the wee hours of the morning to get a spot to see the Film’s two leads.

Some highlights from the Red Carpet, which saw also surprise visits from Captain America himself Anthony Mackie, and Miss Marvel, Toronto’s own Iman Vellani.

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Marvel Studios‘ DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE is in theatres Friday, July 26, 2024.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Marvel Studios Canada)

#TIFF23: SHAWN LEVY TO BE HONOURED AT TIFF TRIBUTE GALA

Cameron Bailey, CEO, TIFF, is delighted to announce that Canadian producer-director Shawn Levy (Free Guy, Deadpool 3) will receive the inaugural Norman Jewison Award presented by The Budman Family. Named in honour of the legendary Canadian filmmaker, the Norman Jewison Career Achievement Award is presented by The Budman Family, and recognizes Canadians in the film industry who have made a global impact with their careers. The awards presentation will take place at the TIFF Tribute Awards gala fundraiser, presented by Bulgari on Sunday, September 10, 2023 at Fairmont Royal York Hotel.

The Montreal-born filmmaker, known for the blockbuster award-winning series Stranger Things and the hit franchise Night at the Museum, will be showcasing his latest work at the Festival ― All the Light We Cannot See, based on the Pulitzer Prize–winning novel ― which he directed and produced through his production company 21 Laps. Levy has been at the forefront of creating global sensations including Free Guy, The Adam Project, and the Academy Award®–nominated thriller Arrival.

“We’re honoured to present this new Award, named after legendary Canadian filmmaker Norman Jewison, whose commitment to developing Canadian cinema and impact on the global stage is unmatched,” said Bailey. “With a multi-faceted career spanning over three decades, Shawn Levy has become one of the most versatile filmmakers and storytellers of his generation, and we’re thrilled for him to be the inaugural recipient of this Award.”

Levy joins the recently announced 2023 TIFF Tribute Award honourees Pedro Almodóvar, recipient of the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media presented by Participant, and Spike Lee, recipient of the TIFF Ebert Director Award. Past honourees Michelle Yeoh, Brendan Fraser, Jessica Chastain, Roger Deakins, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Joaquin Phoenix, Taika Waititi, and Chloé Zhao have gone on to win awards on the international stage, with the Tribute Awards serving as an awards bellwether.

All the Light We Cannot See is a Netflix Original series based on Anthony Doerr’s Pulitzer Prize–winning book of the same name, and follows the story of Marie-Laure (Aria Mia Loberti), a blind French girl, and her father, Daniel LeBlanc (Mark Ruffalo), who flee German-occupied Paris with a legendary diamond to keep it from falling into the hands of the Nazis. The first two episodes of the series will be presented as part of TIFF’s Primetime programme, a showcase featuring compelling series from Canada and around the world.

Now in its fifth year, the Tribute Awards gala is TIFF’s largest annual fundraiser, having raised $1.3 million in 2022, and is presented by Bulgari, sharing their commitment to arts and culture along with TIFF. This year, the Tribute Awards gala will support the Viola Desmond Cinema campaign, which was launched through the Every Story Fund in 2022. For more information, visit tiff.net/tribute.

Shawn Levy bio
Shawn Levy is the creator, director, and producer of some of the era’s most acclaimed film and television content, and is the founder of 21 Laps Entertainment. He produced the Academy Award®–nominated film Arrival, directed and produced the global hits Free Guy and The Adam Project, and launched multiple franchises including Cheaper By The Dozen, Night at the Museum, and Stranger Things, and in doing so changed the cultural zeitgeist. Upcoming, Levy is directing and producing Marvel’s Deadpool 3 and producing the Netflix limited series The Perfect Couple.

(Photo credit: Guy Aroch/Netflix)

#FIRSTLOOK: “ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE” TEASER TRAILER

Shawn Levy is back together with Netflix again after success with The Adamwith latest Feature ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE, arriving this fall via the streaming service. Today we get a glimpse of the Teaser for what looks like an Awards Season contender. Great to see Mark Ruffalo back!

Synopsis:

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE tells the story of the extraordinary power of human connection. Over the course of a decade, this limited series interweaves the lives of Marie-Laure Leblanc, a blind French girl taking refuge with her uncle during WWII, and Werner Pfennig, an brilliant German teenager with an expertise in radio repair. Through a shared secret connection, they find faith in humanity and the possibility of hope. From Director Shawn Levy, All the Light We Cannot See stars Louis Hofmann, Lars Eidinger, Marion Bailey, with Hugh Laurie and Mark Ruffalo. And introducing newcomer Aria Mia Loberti. Coming to Netflix, November 2nd, 2023.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

#INTERVIEW: “FREE GUY”

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!

Free Guy Jodie Comer Joe Kerry Lil Rel Howery ryan reynolds shawn levy Taika Waititi Utkarsh Ambudkar