Sophia Michaels
Are you curious about IF? Because we sure are – and we have plenty of facts to know about the upcoming film.
Yes, you read that right – IF. I know the only time we think about movies that are one word and start with the letter ‘I,’ we might automatically think of the IT films, the famous Stephen King adaptation of the novel of the same name. But here we are, talking about the new movie, IF – which also stands for ‘Imaginary Friend.’
But what is this mysterious new fantasy film going to be about? And who is going to star in it? For everything that you want to know about IF, this article is for you.
What Is The IF Release Date?
At the time of writing this, IF will release on May 17, 2024, according to Deadline. Before this shift, the film was supposed to come out a week later on the 24th, but it was pushed up a week so people get to enjoy it sooner – and so it wouldn’t face a packed weekend of Memorial Day movies.
These include the animated version of Garfield, the next Mad Max movie, Furiosa, and the upcoming Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, all of which will release the weekend after. So now, we have IF to look forward to a week before as part of the 2024 movie schedule.
Ryan Reynolds And John Krasinski Star
With the initial announcement of IF from The Hollywood Reporter in October 2019, it was confirmed that Ryan Reynolds and John Krasinski would star in the film, with Krasinski in the director’s chair and writing the script.
If you like John Krasinski, here is what you should watch if you like the actor.
The two actors have been on a roll the last few years in terms of success. Ryan Reynolds has not only had success with the Deadpool franchise (with the upcoming Deadpool 3 very much on the way), but he’s appeared in several other successful films over the last couple of years, including one of the best Apple TV+ movies, Spirited, as well as movies such as Free Guy, The Adam Project, and more.
Krasinski primarily rose to fame for his role as Jim as part of The Office cast but has undoubtedly established himself as a high-profile actor and director. He directed and wrote A Quiet Place, held a role as part of the DC League of Super-Pets cast, appeared in a surprise Reed Richards role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and more.
Beyond these two being super talented, I can’t wait to see what they bring to this movie – and the chemistry they are bound to have.
Steve Carell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge And More Co-Star
Besides John Krasinski and Ryan Reynolds in the key roles, several other cast members are confirmed to appear in IF. In fact, the IF cast list is literally full of stars. Let’s start at the beginning:
In October 2021, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) and Fiona Shaw(Killing Eve) would join IF.
In January 2022, it was reported that Steve Carell (The Office), Alan Kim (Minari), Cailey Fleming (The Walking Dead), and Louis Gossett Jr. (An Officer and a Gentleman) would join the new film. This would mark the first time Krasinki and Carell have collaborated since their time together on The Office.
In August 2022, Deadline reported that Bobby Moynihan (Saturday Night Live) signed onto the film.
And then, in April 2023, the voice cast for the movie was confirmed by Deadline. These actors include Matt Damon (The Martian), Jon Stewart (The Problem with Jon Stewart), Emily Blunt (A Quiet Place), Maya Rudolph (Loot), Awkwafina (The Little Mermaid), Vince Vaughn (Hacksaw Ridge), Sam Rockwell (Vice), Sebastian Maniscalco (The Irishman), Richard Jenkins (Six Feet Under), and Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit).
Goodness gracious. This cast is already knocking my socks off. I’m already so excited to see what comes from this.
The Details Are Closely Guarded, But Reynolds Says It’s Like A “Live-Action Pixar Film”
While the details of the film are pretty slim, as there is no trailer out just yet, Ryan Reynolds gave us an idea of the film’s tone. When attendees of CinemaCon 2023 were given a first look at the film from that Deadline article regarding the voice cast, Reynolds said that the movie is like a “live-action Pixar film.”
I love all of the Pixar movies and have rewatched them repeatedly, so if I get the chance for a live-action movie that is like a Pixar film, I have an idea that I’m going to start crying my eyes out.
In an interview with John Krasinski from Collider in June 2023, they confirmed that the movie follows a little girl who can see and talk to imaginary friends after something happens to her and that she discovers that many imaginary friends have been forgotten since they were created.
Krasinski also said that the movie is deeply personal to him and that he mainly “made it for his kids,” and he continued to gush about the talent that the film had to offer:
IF is a movie that I made for my kids because I don’t think they’re allowed to see A Quiet Place; Emily [Blunt] calls it PG-40, ‘You’ll get to see it when you’re 40!’ So I had to make a movie that they could see, and I’m really, really excited about it. I mean, Ryan Reynolds is as good as it gets in every single way, shape and form, and this incredible phenom of an actress, Cailey Fleming, is in the movie. For me, it was just about what if we could tell a story about these time capsules. Imaginary friends are adorable and all those things, but they’re also time capsules of your hopes, dreams, and ambitions when you were the most fertile of a brain, and it never goes away. I think we’re told that we’re adults instead of what if you realize that you never stopped being a kid.
Okay, can we get a trailer already? Because I’m really curious.
John Krasinski Directed The Feature
Krasinski, as mentioned before, directed and wrote IF. Also previously mentioned is that this isn’t Krasinski’s first time in the director’s chair, as he wrote and directed A Quiet Place, which not only went on to have a sequel but will have a prequel releasing in 2024, A Quiet Place: Day One.
The actor also directed The Hollars and Brief Interviews with Hideous Men. It’s been some time since we last saw a film he made, and he’s also been busy starring in one of the best Amazon Prime shows, Jack Ryan, which is coming to an end in 2023, so it’s great that we’ll see what he’s been up to with IF.
Filming Has Concluded
The last bit of news that we know is that IF’s filming has come to an end. Originally, Krasinski posted on his Twitter page in August 2022 that filming had begun on the movie. And then later, in that interview with Collider in June 2023, he confirmed to the outlet that production on the film had wrapped.
I know that we are counting down the days until we get to experience this excellent idea, and it doesn’t help that there’s no trailer out just yet (which is driving me crazy). Hopefully, we’ll get more updates on IF soon and keep this guide updated when we hear it.
