Ryan Reynolds has revealed how Mariah Carey’s classic “Fantasy” ended up playing a big role in his new movie Free Guy.
“It really was one of those weird things that happened naturally,” the Canadian actor told Variety. “I write to music anyway, and I initially put a song in the script by The Outfield called ‘Your Love.’ It’s an old ’80s tune. It’s great, but it just didn’t have that epic scale I was looking for.
“And then ‘Fantasy’ just came on my playlist and everything clicked in.”
In Free Guy, Reynolds plays a bank teller who finds out he’s a non-playable character living inside a video game. Directed by Reynolds' fellow Canadian Shawn Levy, it opens Aug. 13 following delays due to the pandemic.
“I am a huge Mariah Carey fan,” said Reynolds. “I got to speak with Mariah and talked to her a little bit about how much of an engine and an agent of progress that this song had been in terms of our creative process and the scripts.
“She’s just been awesome about it.”
Watch the Free Guy trailer, which – you guessed it – features "Fantasy."