Entertainment Movies Comedy Movies Ryan Reynolds Meets an Imaginary Friend Voiced by Steve Carell in IF Trailer Directed by John Krasinski Ryan Reynolds, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Louis Gossett Jr. also star in 'IF,' in theaters May 17 By Kimberlee Speakman Kimberlee Speakman Kimberlee Speakman is a digital writer at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2022. Her work has previously appeared in Forbes and she has also worked in broadcast television as a reporter for Hawaii-based news station KHON2 News. People Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 14, 2023 01:09PM EST Ryan Reynolds is entering the magical world of imaginary friends. In the first trailer for IF, which is written and directed by John Krasinski, Reynolds and costar Cailey Fleming embark on an adventure as they discover various imaginary friends in the real world and share a dance number or two. The trailer opens up with Reynolds tiptoeing across a kid’s bedroom toward a closet door as the words, “What if everything you believed as a kid was real?” flash across the screen. The closet opens to reveal a large, furry, purple imaginary friend, voiced by Steve Carell, who steps out and says hi before unleashing a massive sneeze. The trailer shows the film’s protagonist, played by Fleming, catching her own glimpse of an imaginary friend with a bob cut and large eyes, voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, before fainting. Steve Carell Says He 'Can't Wait' to Work with Former 'Office' Costar John Krasinski on Upcoming Film Paramount Pictures Show goes on to ask, “What is happening?,” prompting Carell’s character to explain: “I’m an IF, get it? Imaginary friend.” Scenes show the imaginary friends trying to interact with people in the real world, including a character played by Bobby Moynihan. “Our kids grew up, so we need new ones. You could save all of us,” the imaginary friends say in the trailer. “We have to help them,” Fleming’s character replies. “Yes we do,” Reynolds adds. Actress Fiona Shaw also makes a brief appearance dancing by herself around an apartment with the backdrop of New York City behind her. Though, she's not the only one who has a dance number as Fleming could also be seen dancing alongside dozens of various imaginary friends in a black suit and top hat. Ryan Reynolds in "IF". John Krasinski Praises Wife Emily Blunt for Her 'Support': 'She's the Hero at Home for Sure' Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The film is about a girl who has superpowers that give her the ability to “see everyone’s imaginary friends” and uses her gift to “reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids,” according to a synopsis. IF also stars Louis Gossett Jr., and the trailer teases appearances from Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Maya Rudolph, Jon Stewart, Sam Rockwell, Awkwafina and more. The movie marks a reunion for Carell and Krasinski after The Office. Krasinski told Entertainment Weekly: "Oh my God, The Office reunion we've all been waiting for is in it. The truth is, Steve's one of the most talented people on the planet. So whether I had ever worked with him before or not, I would've been gunning for him because I just had his voice in my head when I was writing Blue." IF is in theaters May 17. Close