Many of us had imaginary friends as children. But what happens when children grow up, and those imaginary Friends are no longer needed?
Young Bea gains a superpower after a traumatic event: She is able to see Imaginary Friends. She teams up with Cal, who can also see IFs. Together they are on a mission to help outgrown and forgotten IFs find new children.
John Burke Krasinski wrote and directed IF in large part because after writing and directing The Quiet Place (2018), which won five Saturn Awards and was nominated for one Oscar, he wanted something his kids could actually go and see and feel good about. The result looks like it is full of every bit of magic he could pack into it.
This is Krasinksi’s sixth directorial endeavor, and he also co-stars in the movie as Bea’s father, Jeremy. Krasinski‘s real life wife Emily Blunt (she played the title role in Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns(2018) also has a role in the movie, as the voice of a unicorn.
Where Do We Know All These Actors From?
Voicing the IFs is an all-star cast:
- Bea is played by Cailey Fleming. She was Judith Grimes in The Walking Dead, Young Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) , and young Sylvie in Loki. She also appeared in The Book of Love (2016) as Milie. The character of Bea in IF will be the teenager’s biggest role to date.
- Cal is played by fan favorite Ryan Reynolds. Reynolds played vampire detective Hannibal King in Blade: Trinity (2004). He starred in Deadpool (2016) and will reprise that role in the ipcoming Deadpool & Wolverine, currently in post-production. He also famously starred in the cult classic / box office dissapointment Green Lantern (2011).
- The late Lou Gossett, Jr. voiced Lewis the bear. He starred as Jareeba Shigan in Enemy Mine (1985) and co-starred as Walter Shepherd in The Powers of Matthew Star.
- Comedian Steve Carrell voices Blue, Bea’s father’s former IF. He voiced Gru in the Despicable Me quartet of films. He also starred in the short-lived Space Force TV show as General Mark R. Naird.
- Christopher Meloni (Det. Eliot Stabler on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Organized Crime) voices Cosmo.
- Mrs. Krasinski, Emily Blunt ( Dr. Lily Houghton in Disney’s Jungle Cruise (2021) and Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins Returns) voices a unicorn IF.
- Phoebe Waller-Bridge (the voice of L3-37 in Han Solo: a Star Wars Story (2018) and Helena Shaw in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) voices Blossom, the anthropomorphic butterfly who looks like she comes from 1930’s Betty Boop cartoons.
- Sam Rockwell (Zaphod Beeblebrox in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005) and Guy Fleegman in Galaxy Quest (1999) voices Guardian Dog.
- Talk show host Jon Stewart voices the Robot who decides to go plug himself in and recharge.
IF hits the theaters May 17, 2024.
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Susan Macdonald is the author of the children’s book “R is for Renaissance Faire”, as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in “Alternative Truths”, “Swords and Sorceress #30”, Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, “Cat Tails” “Under Western Stars”, and “Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid”. Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio’s web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.
