The box office performance of Ryan Reynolds’ latest film, IF, poses a potential issue for one of his 2025 films. IF is a CGI animation and live-action hybrid film about a young girl named Bea who discovers that Imaginary Friends (IFs) are real, but many of them are wandering lost souls now that their once-friends have aged and abandoned them. Throughout the film, Bea must work to save these IFs while simultaneously dealing with personal grief and family issues. Along the way, there are many hints that foreshadow IF’s biggest twist.

IF’s leading cast features Reynolds alongside John Krasinski (who also directed the film), Cailey Fleming, Fiona Shaw, and a voice cast that includes Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Steve Carell. Reynolds plays a man named Cal in the film, who is a friend of Carell’s IF, Blue, and has worked with other imaginary friends. Reynolds’ performance in the role is characteristically charming but has so far not been enough to propel IF to large box office heights. More concerning than the box office numbers is the effect of this film’s lackluster earnings on another upcoming Reynolds film.

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IF Ending Explained

IF’s ending is a genuinely sweet way to close out the film, underscoring the thematic throughline of the story and expanding on the film’s twist.

IF’s Box Office Isn’t Bad, But Probably Won’t Be Good Enough

IF May Not Break Even

At the time of writing, IF has brought in $161.4 million at the worldwide box office. This total is not entirely disappointing for the movie, as IF came in at no. 1 at the box office during its opening weekend on May 17. Furthermore, IF has managed this box office take-home in a spring that has been incredibly slow in theatrical revenue. This year’s Memorial Day weekend was one of the worst holiday weekends in decades, so for a family film, an over $150 million take home is not bad.

IF’s box office is not fantastic, however, if more context about the film is considered. This includes IF’s budget, which is estimated to be $110 million. Typically, Hollywood movies need to make 2 to 2.5 times their budget to approach a profit, given all the marketing and distribution fees that are tacked on after the production budget. Under this logic, IF has not yet made enough money to break even, and it still has a ways to go to do so.

The film’s box office is also somewhat disappointing considering the star power of Reynolds. Reynolds’ name alone is typically enough to propel a film to success, but that did not happen with IF. The film did not see hundreds of millions of dollars in profit, having not even passed the $200 million mark. This is not a great point in the direction of the typical correlation between Reynolds’ name and a film’s success.

IF’s Box Office Is Worrying For Ryan Reynolds’ Animal Friends

Animal Friends Is Also a CGI and Live-Action Hybrid

IF’s lackluster box office is bad for Reynolds’ upcoming 2024 release, Animal Friends. Like IF, Animal Friends is a hybrid of CG animation and live-action. Starring Reynolds alongside Jason Momoa, Aubrey Plaza, and Dan Levy, Animal Friends is an action-comedy about the unlikely friendship between two animals. The full plot for the film has not yet been released, but it is said to be more adult-focused.

If Animal Friends is to follow the same pattern as IF, Reynolds alone will not be enough to lead the movie to success. IF’s hybrid visual style also did not seem to resonate with audiences as much as those behind the film would have hoped, so this element might also detract from Animal Friends’ success. Additionally, Animal Friends is R-rated, making it an even tougher sell than its family-friendly counterpart.

Ryan Reynolds Does Have One Guaranteed Box Office Hit Coming Up

Deadpool & Wolverine Is a Highly-Anticipated Summer Release

Though IF‘s performance has left something to be desired, Reynolds should not fear his box office success given the summer he has coming up. July will see the release of Deadpool & Wolverine, which is the third film in Reynolds’ Deadpool franchise. Though the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has not reached Avengers: Endgame levels of success in several years, Deadpool & Wolverine is one of the most anticipated films of the summer.

Beyond the Reynolds name, Deadpool & Wolverine also benefits from the fact that it returns Hugh Jackman to the franchise. Jackman plays Wolverine, a character that was previously killed off in Logan. Fans will be excited about the Deadpool franchise’s return and Jackman’s comeback, driving audiences to theaters. If Deadpool & Wolverine is as successful as predicted, perhaps it will even re-engage interest in Reynolds enough to increase the draw for Animal Friends and make it more successful than IF.

IF (2024)

IF, originally titled Imaginary Friends, is a comedic fantasy film written and directed by John Krasinski. A young girl who experiences a tragic moment early in her life discovers she can see the imaginary friends of others who leave them behind as they grow older.

Release Date

May 17, 2024

Studio(s)

Sunday Night Productions , Maximum Effort

Distributor(s)

Paramount Pictures

Cast

Ryan Reynolds , John Krasinski , Cailey Fleming , Steve Carell , Matt Damon , Emily Blunt , Phoebe Waller-Bridge , Vince Vaughn , Sam Rockwell , Maya Rudolph , Jon Stewart , Awkwafina

Runtime

107 minutes

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