Movies about imaginary friends appear to be a thing among the slate of 2024 new movies, with one example being John Krasinski's star-studded potential summer blockbuster IF.
IF, short for Imaginary Friends, has been described as a "live-action Pixar movie" by star Ryan Reynolds. That seems to indicate that the movie will be a bit more family-friendly than Imaginary, a new horror movie that came out ahead of IF.
When is IF coming out and who makes up the A-list cast? We've got everything you need to know about IF right here.
IF release date
Paramount Pictures has earmarked May 17 as the IF release date worldwide.
IF reviews
Critics are weighing in on IF, including What to Watch. You can read our IF review right here, but general consensus on the movie is mixed, as evidenced by its 53% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which technically classifies it as "Rotten."
IF cast
The IF cast is stacked.
Starring as the main character Bea is Cailey Fleming (The Walking Dead), a young girl who begins to see imaginary friends that have been left behind by the children that have created them.
Ryan Reynolds also stars as The Man Upstaris, who aids Bea on her mission to help all the imaginary friends. IF is Reynolds' second summer blockbuster of 2024, alongside the heavily anticipated Deadpool 3.
The rest of the well-known cast includes Fiona Shaw (Andor), Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny), Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer), Matt Damon (AIR), Louis Gossett Jr. (An Officer and a Gentleman), Alan Kim (Minari), Richard Jenkins (Nightmare Alley), Awkwafina (Kung Fu Panda 4), May Rudolph (Big Mouth), Sam Rockwell (Argylle), Jon Stewart (The Problem with Jon Stewart), Sebastian Maniscalco (Bookie), Chris Meloni (Law & Order: Organized Crime), Liza Colón-Zayas (The Bear) and Steve Carell, reuniting with Krasinski after their time together on The Office.
In addition, John Krasinski is pulling quadruple duty on IF, as he stars in addition to writing, directing and producing (Reynolds is also a producer).
IF plot
Written by John Krasinski, here is the official synopsis for IF:
"From writer and director John Krasinski, IF is about a girl who discovers that she can see everyone's imaginary friends — and what she does with that superpower — as she embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids. IF stars Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Fiona Shaw, and the voices of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr. and Steve Carell alongside many more as the wonderfully unique characters that reflect the incredible power of a child's imagination."
IF trailer
The final trailer for John Krasinski's IF is now available to watch, getting audiences ready for the magical tale of imaginary friends. Watch the trailer right here:
Also check out the movie's previously released teasers directly below:
A behind-the-scenes feature has also been shared for fans to learn more about the new family movie:
John Krasinski movies
Though Krasinski is still probably best known for his time starring as Jim Halpbert on The Office, he has become a well-regarded director, most notably for his A Quiet Place franchise. But those aren't the only movies that Krasinski has directed. Here's a complete look at his directing credits:
- Brief Interviews with Hideous Men (2009)
- The Hollars (2016)
- A Quiet Place (2018)
- A Quiet Place Part II (2020)
Krasinski also directed three episodes of The Office during its run, just FYI.
