Free Guy

In a virtual realm where gamers can indulge in high-stakes escapades, Free City emerges as a thriving metropolis teeming with action-packed missions and cunning operatives. Within this digital domain, sunglasses-wearing masterminds reign supreme, boasting an unparalleled advantage over their foes. Among the countless non-playable characters, Guy (Ryan Reynolds) leads a humdrum existence as a bank teller, content in his routine and predictable life. His trusted sidekick, Buddy (Lil Rel Howery), a security guard extraordinaire, shares Guy's misadventures in a never-ending cycle of being robbed.

Meanwhile, the enigmatic Molotov Girl (Jodie Comer) navigates Free City's underbelly, extracting crucial intel from a captive player (Hugh Jackman). As she vanishes into the shadows, her presence leaves an indelible mark on Guy, who finds himself inexplicably smitten. His chance encounter with Molotov Girl is further embellished by Mariah Carey's iconic tune "Fantasy" wafting through the air. Guy's admiration is met with surprise and curiosity from Molotov Girl, accustomed to NPCs' standardized responses. His infatuation propels him on a path of self-discovery, culminating in a catastrophic collision with a train that sends his consciousness hurtling back to the safety of his own world.

Upon his return to Free City, Guy's mundane existence is disrupted once more as he reports for duty at the bank. A robbery unfolds, but this time, Guy seizes the initiative, wresting the coveted sunglasses from a ruthless thief (Dwayne Johnson) in a turn of events that also claims the life of their player-controlled counterpart. As Guy dons the iconic shades, his perspective shifts dramatically. He discovers he can collect health-boosting boxes and manipulate the digital world to suit his whims. However, this newfound agency is accompanied by an unsettling awareness that his actions are no longer confined within the virtual realm. The NPCs begin to exhibit a palpable unease towards Guy, as if they've caught wind of his clandestine meddling in their carefully scripted existence.

In the uncharted territories beyond the digital realm, Soonami's ears perk up to the whispers of Guy's clandestine exploits within Free City. Convinced he's a rogue hacker who exploited an NPC skin to take down fellow players, Walter "Keys" McKey (Joe Keery) and Mouser (Utkarsh Ambudkar), two operatives in the know, don their avatars - a stripper cop and a pink rabbit - to track down Guy. Their pursuit leads them on a wild goose chase through the virtual landscape, only for Guy to utilize limited edition sneakers granting him exceptional jumping abilities. As he attempts to escape their clutches by latching onto a wrecking ball, his aim falls short, and he plummets to the ground, barely salvaging himself with a bubble suit. Despite this close call, Keys and Mouser manage to corner Guy, mistakenly believing they've apprehended the "hacker" and put an end to their nefarious activities.

Meanwhile, an interview surfaces featuring Keys in conversation with Millie Rusk (also Jodie Comer), the masterminds behind Free City's inception. The duo reminisces about their initial vision for the game before it was hijacked by their current boss, Antwan (Taika Waititi), who pilfered their code and transformed the game into a soulless franchise. Millie visits Keys at his behest, determined to gather evidence of Antwan's crimes, knowing that proof of their original code lies hidden within a safe house within the game - one she's desperate to infiltrate as Molotov Girl.

Guy eventually encounters Molotov Girl outside the safe house, where he's drawn to her mission and the prospect of joining forces. However, his low level (a mere 1) hinders their collaboration, as she's significantly more advanced. Undeterred, Guy begins taking on missions with the glasses, earning accolades for his heroic exploits - returning stolen funds, rescuing children from traffic hazards. As news of his feats spreads, Guy becomes an internet sensation, dubbed "Blue Shirt Guy," even garnering a spot on Jeopardy's answer section.

Buddy, however, remains skeptical about joining Guy on this digital crusade, perceiving the risks as too great. Antwan, oblivious to these concerns, is ecstatic about Guy's popularity and instructs his employees to keep him on board. With Free City 2 poised for launch in just two days, despite being far from fully coded or glitch-free, Antwan compounds the issue by informing Keys that the sequel won't be backward compatible with the original game, rendering most characters obsolete in the new iteration.

As Guy reaches a plateau of achievement within the virtual realm, he retreats to the safe haven while Millie (undeterred by the perilous nature of her mission) launches a daring assault on the fortified stronghold. Just as her valiant efforts are about to be extinguished, Guy bursts onto the scene on his motorcycle, teaming up with Millie to repel the nefarious forces and make their escape via an aerial hang glider ride. Following this adrenaline-fueled escapade, the pair takes a well-deserved respite, indulging in a shared love of underrated bubblegum ice cream. As the evening draws to a close, Guy's affections are unexpectedly redirected towards Molotov Girl (kissing her with a surprise that leaves Millie slightly bewildered). Meanwhile, Keys begins to uncover a cryptic pattern within the NPCs' behavioral codes, which he shares with Millie, revealing that Antwan has pilfered their proprietary code. This astonishing discovery suggests that Guy's influence on Free City's narrative has allowed the game's characters to evolve organically, mirroring the real-world game developers' original vision.

As the weight of this revelation settles in, Millie returns to the virtual realm, guiding Guy to the central hub where players congregate. With the veil lifted from his eyes, Guy is confronted with the astonishing truth: he is merely a character within a video game. The news sends him spiraling into an existential crisis, shattering his carefree persona. Seeking solace and guidance, Guy visits Buddy, who endeavors to lift his friend's spirits by emphasizing the authenticity of their shared experiences.

Buddy joins forces with Guy as they embark on a mission to retrieve the coveted file sought by Millie. Upon arriving at the guard avatar's (Channing Tatum) stronghold, Guy is met with an unexpected show of enthusiasm and acquiescence from the usually vigilant guardian. Unfazed by the normally strict protocols, the guard readily permits Guy to plunder his digital domain, even going so far as to request a mercy killing – a request that Guy refuses to fulfill. Ultimately, Guy returns to Millie, bearing the crucial evidence she has been seeking.

As Guy's benevolent influence spreads throughout the virtual world, he inadvertently gains a following among top streamers like Ninja and Pokimane. However, his growing popularity doesn't sit well with Antwan, who fears that Guy's presence will tank sales for Free City 2. In an attempt to mitigate the damage, Mouser suggests rebooting the server, but little does anyone know that this decision will have far-reaching consequences.

Meanwhile, within the game itself, Guy and Millie stumble upon a mysterious file containing cryptic information about an enigmatic island. As they delve deeper into the data, they discover that it holds the key to unlocking the secrets of their own existence - specifically, the revelation that Millie's (Molotov Girl) code is integral to the game's narrative. Just as Guy begins to piece together the truth, the game is rebooted, sending him back in time to a point before he achieved self-awareness.

Millie, however, manages to log back on, but her efforts are met with a shocking realization: Guy no longer recognizes her. Desperate for a solution, she turns to Keys, who reveals that Guy's digital persona is based on the character of a lovelorn NPC forever searching for his ideal partner. According to Keys, all Guy needs is a trigger to reactivate his code and restore his memories. Millie takes matters into her own hands, and with a bold move, she kisses Guy, awakening his dormant recollections and restoring his connection to the island.

The image of this mystical place is reflected off the blinds in Guy's apartment, serving as a crucial clue for Keys to decipher. With newfound insight, he hypothesizes that the island lies just beyond the city's horizon, waiting to be explored. Emboldened by their discovery, Guy and Millie rally the NPCs in Free City, inspiring them to abandon their predetermined paths and forge their own destinies by migrating to the island.

As the dust settles on the deserted streets, the players are left reeling in uncertainty. Antwan, sensing an opportunity to strike, discovers Molotov Girl's involvement with Millie and issues a chilling command: delete them both, forever. Mouser, ever the dutiful servant, sets about manipulating the game's environment to ensnare his targets. Guy, meanwhile, attempts to escape the city limits in a desperate bid for freedom, but Mouser's machinations are relentless. The world watches with bated breath as the drama unfolds, Keys intervening at crucial moments to keep Millie and Guy one step ahead of their pursuers.

As the stakes escalate, Molotov Girl begins to fade away, her pixels dissolving into nothingness. But in a stunning turn of events, Keys conjures up a makeshift ramp, allowing Guy and his companions to escape the city's crumbling infrastructure. The beach beckons, but it soon becomes clear that Millie is doomed unless Keys can create a bridge to safety. In a heart-stopping climax, Antwan unleashes Dude (Ryan Reynolds), a behemoth of a character with the strength of a titan and the intelligence of a brick. Buddy arrives just in time to lend a helping hand, as Guy finds himself on the receiving end of Dude's full fury.

In a moment of inspiration, Buddy equips Guy with a pair of sunglasses that grant him access to an arsenal of incredible abilities: Captain America's shield, the Hulk's mighty fist, and even a lightsaber. The battle rages on, but just when all hope seems lost, Buddy bestows the glasses upon Dude, who is suddenly able to see the world through Guy's eyes. Empowered by this newfound understanding, Guy and his ally make a break for the island, leaving Antwan's wrath in their wake.

As the dust settles, it becomes clear that Antwan has reached the limits of his patience. In a fit of rage, he destroys the server room, bringing the entire Free City environment crashing down around him. The bridge is deleted, and Buddy is erased from existence before he can utter a final farewell to Guy. Undeterred, Guy pushes on, driven by his determination to reach the island and claim his rightful place among the living.

In a stunning twist, Millie appears at the server room, her eyes locked onto Antwan's as she proposes a pact: in exchange for sparing the Free City name, she will grant him the code to the game. As the dust settles, the players are left to ponder the implications of this high-stakes deal, while Guy, finally safe on the island, looks out upon the ruins of his former world with a mix of sadness and triumph.

As Free City 2 crashes and burns at the box office, Antwan finds himself under a scathing spotlight, with his professional reputation taking a severe beating and his personal life becoming a media sensation. Meanwhile, Millie, Keys, and Mouser embark on an ambitious new project, "Free Life", crafting a game that embodies their collective creative vision - a world of expansive environments and meticulous details. As they delve deeper into the development process, Millie's priorities shift, and she makes the difficult decision to distance herself from Guy, but their amicable parting belies a deeper understanding between them. It isn't until she watches a video playback of Keys' introspective commentary that the truth begins to dawn on her - Guy's algorithm was always designed to make his character fall in love with Molotov Girl, inspired by Keys' own infatuation with Millie. The revelation sends her on a quest to reconnect with him in town, where they share a long-awaited kiss.

In the midst of this emotional turbulence, Guy and Dude forge an unlikely friendship, but Guy's heart remains heavy with nostalgia for his old buddy Buddy. It soon becomes clear that Buddy has been resurrected within the game, and the two friends are reunited once more. As they reminisce about old times, Buddy poses a question: should they return to their former lives? Guy's response is resolute - now that they've transcended the boundaries of the game, they're free to explore wherever they please, pursuing whatever adventure sparks their imagination.