Perhaps you might recall seeing a trailer for a high-concept Ryan Reynolds comedy called Free Guy well over a year ago, back when we could all go to movie theaters without feeling that prickle of COVID-induced anxiety. Well, that movie is finally opening this weekend, and in those anxiety-inducing movie theaters, no less.
Directed by Shawn Levy, Free Guy stars Reynolds as a non-player character in an open-world video game known simply as Guy. When Guy becomes self-aware of his whole NPC-in-a-video-game situation, he sets off to try to make himself the hero of the game, before the game developers can shut it down. Also starring Jodie Comer, Lil Rel Howery, and Taika Waititi, Free Guy sounds like a silly blend of high concept science fiction and absurd comedy that’s sure to delight the video gamer in your life.
But how, exactly, can you watch the movie? Thanks to the pandemic, it’s more confusing than ever to figure out where and when movies are playing. Lucky for you, Decider is here to help. Here’s where to watch Free Guy, and when to expect Free Guy on streaming.IS FREE GUY ON STREAMING? HOW TO WATCH FREE GUY:
Not yet. Right now, the only way to watch Free Guy is in a movie theater. (You might want to wear a mask if you go!) You can find a showing near you here.WILL FREE GUY BE ON HBO MAX?
No. Free Guy is not a Warner Bros. movie. HBO Max, which is owned by Warner Media, is only the streaming home to first-run Warner Bros. blockbusters like The Suicide Squad. Because Free Guy is being distributed by 20th Century Studios—which is now owned by Disney—it will not stream on HBO Max at the same time that it’s in theaters. While it is possible that Free Guy will be on HBO Max someday, it will not be any time soon.IS FREE GUY ON NETFLIX?
No. Free Guy is not on Netflix. Because Free Guy is technically a Disney movie, it is more likely the film will end up on Disney+. But you can stream another Ryan Reynolds movie, Six Underground, on Netflix if you’re craving that Reynolds action right now.IS FREE GUY ON DISNEY PLUS PREMIER ACCESS?
No. While Free Guy is technically a Disney movie, it will not be available for $30 on Disney+ Premier Access, the way Disney films like Black Widow and Jungle Cruise have been. Instead, Free Guy will remain exclusively a theatrical release for at least 45 days, according to Variety.WHEN WILL FREE GUY BE STREAMING?
While no official streaming date for Free Guy has been announced, the movie should be available on video-on-demand after about 45 days in theaters, according to a report from Variety. Therefore, we can estimate that Free Guy will be on streaming sometime around the last week of September 2021. But surprisingly (perhaps), it won’t head to Disney+ after that. Since Free Guy is a 20th Century Studios movie, formerly 20th Century Fox, due to a pre-existing deal, after Free Guy‘s VOD window, it will head to HBO and HBO Max. After some unspecified time there, it may head to Disney+. But not any time soon. Sorry, Ryan.