Pop quiz, hotshot: What was the #1 movie of 2021 that wasn’t a sequel or a remake or something based on a comic book?
Answer: Free Guy.
Directed by Shawn Levy and written by Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn, the film stars Ryan Reynolds as Guy, who does not realize he is an NPC in a massive online roleplaying game. Guy gains sentience and decides to help the people in his game, becoming a hero in the process. The movie was released in August and wound up earning $121.6 million in the U.S. and another $209 million worldwide, good enough to make it the #8 movie of 2021, at least domestically, according to Box Office Mojo.
Now the film is coming to Disney+ for streaming. Disney announced today that the film will be available on the service on February 23, 2022. Disney made the announcement along with a video teasing numerous upcoming films and shows on the service, including Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, Limitless With Chris Hemsworth.
The movie was started by Fox before the Disney acquisition, and then was released by 20th Century Studios under the Disney umbrella. By that point, the film was able to include nods to major Disney properties like Star Wars and The Avengers. (At one point Guy uses a lightsaber in the game; in another, he fights with Captain America’s shield.) Ryan Reynolds has already confirmed that Disney is interested in a sequel — don’t be shocked if that movie leans even more into these corporate crossovers.
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The Best Movies of 2021
Our film critic ranks the 10 best films of the year.
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