Ever since the runaway success of Free Guy, star Ryan Reynolds has been approached about a possible sequel, but the actor has been tight-lipped until recently about anything to do with Free Guy 2. The first movie follows his affable bank teller as he progresses from being a generic NPC in the open-world game Life Itself to the hero of his own adventure. Free from the limitations of his code, he can rewrite any aspect of the surrounding story, and even find love with his original coder Millie (Jodie Comer), the creator of the concept game, and use his newfound abilities to save Life Itself from being destroyed by a churlish CEO.
Recently in giving a very cautious update for Free Guy 2, Reynolds has expressed his reluctance to make a sequel of the box office hit. In an era when remakes, revivals, and sequels are a predictable factor in studio attempts to build out franchises, Free Guy 2 seems like a no-brainer, particularly since the end of Free Guy leaves the storyline open for future installments. Reynolds maintains that while Free Guy 2 could happen, there are plenty of reasons why it should remain a standalone film to be enjoyed on its own merit.
Free Guy 2 Doesn't Need To Happen (But It Could)
At the conclusion of Free Guy, Free City is turned into a creative utopia, Life Itself is back in the hands of Millie, and there are a few storylines that could be pursued in a sequel, not to mention build on Free Guy's celebrity cameos. Though Reynolds might be averse to a Free Guy sequel now, Zoe Saldana expressed similar sentiments (via Variety) before the release of Avatar: The Way of Water, and had to walk back her words. With last year's announcement that Free Guy 2's script was almost finished, and would continue to explore the opportunities inherent to the open-world format, Reynolds may change his mind soon.
Even with all the creative outlets available in Life Itself, and the possibility of Guy traveling to the real world, Free Guy can exist on its own without pursuing these plot points. Free Guy was partially so successful because it subverted tropes about rom-coms, video games, and action movies. For instance, despite hinting at a romance between Millie and Guy, they don't get together at the end of the movie, proving that just like Free Guy 2, an option doesn't have to be an absolute.
Why Free Guy Might Be Better Off As A Standalone Movie
Despite Free Guy being a huge box office success, it can exist as a standalone movie without turning into a franchise. "There is the potential to do a sequel to ‘Free Guy,’ which would be fun," said Reynolds. "But also like, does everything f***ing have to be a sequel? I don’t know. Sometimes it’s OK to just do a movie and have it kick ass and then everyone go home..." (via Variety). Most of the time, a sequel is intended to not only build on its predecessor's success, but legitimize it as well, something that Free Guy doesn't need thanks to its compelling story, strong performances, and stunning visual effects.
Sequels have become increasingly common these days, but there are benefits to leaving Free Guy alone. For one thing, its budget, while sizable, was nowhere near as large as any of the movies in the MCU or the Star Wars Universe, making it part of the rapidly shrinking mid-budget market. For another, Free Guy remains original without its unique qualities being diluted with possible mediocre material. Finally, a movie's success, popularity, and quality isn't dependent on immediately getting a sequel.
