Shawn Levy: Free Guy is not about video games

Shawn Levy says 'Free Guy' isn't about video games.

The 53-year-old filmmaker has directed the new movie that features Ryan Reynolds as Guy, a non-player character in a game who becomes aware of his situation and tries to make himself the hero.

Shawn admits that he and the 'Deadpool' star wanted to explore deeper themes in the story in a video game setting.

The director told Screen Rant: "The script had a big, juicy premise and idea. But it also had themes that were really interesting to me and Ryan.

"Literally, from day one, Ryan and I met and had this script about a video game character coming to the awareness that he exists in a game of a world."

Shawn added: "But we wanted to really bring out the themes and the feelings of: don't we all kind of feel like we live in the background? Haven't we all felt a little powerless in the midst of a world that is not of our making?

"What if we started thinking about the notion that we can be empowered to have an impact, and that's the arc of the character.

"Again, using this video game premise for a movie that is not about video games. It's about the way we all navigate the world and aspire to live."

The movie is being released after a number of delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic and Ryan was desperate for cinema audiences to watch the flick.

The 44-year-old star said: "I know how different a movie is when you watch it on a big screen with 100 other people, or 200, or 300, or 400, or 500 other people. It's like nothing else.

"That communal experience is so important to people. And I know coming out of this crazy 2020 and certainly part of 2021 – I, for one, am craving that communal experience again."