In a bold move for the fantasy film IF, John Krasinski managed to bring Blake Lively into his ensemble of A-list talent through what he jokingly described as “emotional blackmail.” The film, which also stars Lively’s spouse Ryan Reynolds, premiered with much anticipation in Hollywood and drew significant attention for its high-profile cast and unconventional recruitment tactics involving several key industry figures.
Krasinski took charge both as director and as architect of the project, using his Hollywood connections to assemble a star lineup including Ryan Reynolds, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Steve Carell, and Bradley Cooper. The director admitted that while most actors quickly agreed to participate, persuading Lively required a more creative approach, especially since her role would be the voice of Octopuss, an anthropomorphic cat imaginary friend within the story’s magical universe.
The film’s production unfolded over years, with Krasinski refining the imaginative world at its center. Despite the star power, critics delivered mixed reactions to the film, which earned $190.3 million at the box office against its $110 million budget—ultimately struggling to make a commercial splash due to high expectations and steep costs.
Behind the Scenes: Emotional Appeals and Celebrity FOMO
The dynamic around IF’s casting became a topic of public discussion during John Krasinski’s 2024 appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Discussing the process, Krasinski explained his strategy for securing the cast.
“I gotta say, the most yeses of my career was on this movie and the fastest yeses because they all love the idea of imagination, going back to your childhood.”
—John Krasinski, Director
While most actors were easily convinced by the film‘s whimsical premise, getting Blake Lively to participate required an extra nudge. Krasinski recounted lightheartedly pushing her to join, employing a bit of “emotional blackmail” and invoking some friendly fear of missing out.
“I was like, ‘Everybody’s doing it.’”
—John Krasinski, Director
Despite the playful pressure, Krasinski expressed appreciation for Lively’s cooperation.
“She was so nice to jump on board.”
—John Krasinski, Director
The recruitment drive did not stop with Lively. Krasinski extended invitations to his wife, Emily Blunt, as well as close friends Matt Damon and Steve Carell, his former co-star from The Office. Bradley Cooper was cast as Ice, an imaginary friend with a uniquely crafted backstory.
“I don’t know why when I created this guy, in my head, I was like, ‘He’s from Philly, and he’s a little bummed to be living in Arizona.’”
—John Krasinski, Director
Throughout the production, old bonds were revisited, particularly the working relationship between Krasinski and Carell. Their reunion evoked strong emotions. Krasinski recalled Carell’s heartfelt encouragement:
“the most heartfelt speech about how proud he is of me to be making movies.”
—John Krasinski, Director
Star Power and the Influence of George Clooney
George Clooney’s involvement in IF surprised even late-night host Jimmy Fallon. Clooney appears as Spaceman, a character Krasinski described as an inside joke.
“That’s his character from Gravity in my head, that he’s still just floating around.”
—John Krasinski, Director
Krasinski and Clooney’s professional connection dates to their collaboration on the 2008 film Leatherheads. Clooney played a pivotal role in sparking Krasinski’s interest in directing. Recalling their conversations, Krasinski said:
“He would take me to dinner while we were shooting Leatherheads, and he would show me on a drawing, ‘This is what I’m going to shoot tomorrow. I’m going to put the cameras here.’ And I said, ‘That’s amazing. Why are you telling me this?’ And he’s like, ‘Well, you’re not just going to be an actor, right? You’re going to go on to direct.’ And I went, ‘Pfft, yeah.’ I had no idea. He did before I did.”
—John Krasinski, Director
Clooney’s belief in Krasinski’s future as a filmmaker proved prescient, as evidenced by the director’s ability to marshal such an illustrious group for IF. Krasinski credited Clooney for providing both technical insight and personal confidence, a gesture that seemed to resonate long after their first collaboration.
Mixed Reception and Commercial Impact of IF
Despite the impressive cast and creative concept, IF faced a divided critical reception. The film currently holds a 50% approval score on Rotten Tomatoes, contrasted by a more favorable audience score of 86%. Nevertheless, financially, the movie’s performance fell short of expectations, needing to reach at least $275 million in earnings to break even.
Though IF’s commercial outcome was less than hoped, it has nonetheless sparked conversation about the power of star ensembles and the impact of creative risk-taking in Hollywood’s competitive landscape. The movie is now available for streaming on Paramount+, allowing families and fans to experience the result of Krasinski’s passionate undertaking and the efforts it took—emotional blackmail and all—to bring together such a noteworthy cast.
