John Krasinski’s ‘IF’ Trailer: Ryan Reynolds & Steve Carell Lead 2024’s Must-See Family Fantasy

Families everywhere are rediscovering the magic of John Krasinski’s hybrid live-action/animated adventure “IF” now that the feel-good hit is just a click away on Paramount+. The film dropped on the service July 9 last year after finishing its theatrical run with more than $185 million worldwide, and renewed streaming momentum has vaulted it into Paramount+’s “Trending Now” carousel as the winter holidays wrap and award-season chatter heats up. “IF” follows Bea (Cailey Fleming), a quick-witted pre-teen who can suddenly see abandoned imaginary friends—“IFs”—and teams with her equally gifted neighbor Cal (Ryan Reynolds) to reunite the lonely creatures with their grown-up kids. Krasinski, doubling as writer-director and playing Bea’s hospitalized dad, packs the voice cast with Hollywood heavyweights: Steve Carell, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Maya Rudolph, George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, Awkwafina and more, giving families a playful game of “guess that celebrity” on repeat viewings. The movie’s current spike in searches comes from three converging factors: 1. Fresh eyes on streaming: Paramount+ added holiday marketing pushes featuring short character spotlights that have racked up millions of TikTok loops under #IFMovie. 2. Award-season positioning: industry bloggers list the Giacchino score and original song “Make Believe” as possible Oscar long-shot contenders, keeping cinephile forums buzzing. 3. Repeat-friendly plot: parents praise the gentle humor and Pixar-style heart, a rare original family title amid franchise fatigue. Box-office analysts once predicted a $40 million-plus domestic opening—and although “IF” bowed softer at $33.7 million, word of mouth propelled the film past early tracking models, proving original IP can still break through when it taps cross-generational nostalgia. Krasinski hinted on a recent podcast that deleted scenes introduce unseen IFs “that could lead to bigger adventures,” fueling sequel speculation and fan art spikes on Instagram. Paramount has not confirmed a follow-up, but given the movie’s renewed streaming surge and robust merchandise sales—plush Blue the giant purple monster is back-ordered until February—industry observers expect green-light news sooner rather than later. For now, “IF” is positioning itself as 2026’s first feel-good streaming hit, reminding audiences that sometimes the best cinematic universe is the one you imagined as a kid—and it’s only getting bigger with every replay.