IF Footage Reaction: John Krasinski's Movie For Imaginary Friends [CinemaCon 2023]
What is "IF"? That's a question that's been pretty difficult to answer, especially with a vague and non-descriptive title such as that. It's no fault of our own, however, as John Krasinski's newest directorial feature has been shrouded in secrecy from the moment it was announced. Considering how little we knew about his mega-hit "A Quiet Place" before it was released, this isn't a surprise.
What we do know, however, is that Krasinski has taken a sharp left turn from the auditory horror of "A Quiet Place" and into the realm of children's fantasy. If you held any doubt that this sort of genre pivot couldn't be pulled off, then the attendees at CinemaCon 2023 might beg to differ. Paramount Pictures showed off the first footage of "IF" at the panel, which was attended by /Film's Ben Pearson. While the film is still over a year away from release, that doesn't mean people can't go ahead and get hyped for it.
Part of that hype might have to do with the film's stacked cast. Krasinski will once again star, but this time, he'll be joined by Ryan Reynolds, Steve Carrell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr., Cailey Fleming, Fiona Shaw, and Bobby Moynihan. "Minari" breakout Alan Kim also stars in his biggest role to date.
A grand adventure
From the sound of it, "IF" is like an ambitious take on an Amblin-styled family-friendly adventure, especially in its presentation. The film will be a mixture of CGI animation and live-action, centering around a young girl (Cailee Fleming) being able to see the old imaginary friends of those around her. While the footage was presented through a behind-the-scenes featurette, we do know that one of the imaginary friends, or IFs, will be a furry and purple creature voiced by Steve Carrell. Other voice talent bringing the IFs to life include Jon Stewart, Maya Rudolph, Awkwafina, Christopher Meloni, and Vince Vaughn.
As for Ryan Reynolds, he seemingly plays the young girl's father, who will also interact with the IFs. Fiona Shaw is playing her grandmother, while Alan Kim plays her friend and Bobby Moynihan is portraying an undisclosed live-action character. Although the footage mainly consisted of behind-the-scenes material, it seems the film has the potential to be an interesting and fun exploration of childhood. Of course, given its high-concept premise, who knows if it'll stick the landing? We'll see what happens when "IF" arrives in theaters on May 24, 2024.