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2024 was full of celebrated movies, with one reason for their success being the hired onscreen talent. To carry a sci-fi epic, an animated feature, or an enthralling drama, the ideal cast is required to move the story forward. Even better, the cast needs capable big-name stars, as well as some intriguing newcomers, to persuade people to check out the movies in the theater.

As seen by these entries, audiences turned up to their local movie theaters to see recognizable and excitingly new movie stars. These original films and long-awaited sequels received praise for having tons of creativity, but an even bigger highlight was that they had some of the most insanely stacked casts of the year. From legacy sequels such as Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Gladiator II to animated hits like Transformers One and The Wild Robot, these 2024 movies had unbelievable ensemble casts.

If's Live-Action And Voice Casts Had Many...

John Krasinski's If to stream on Paramount+ from July 9, after it underperformed at the box office. The film centers on young Bea and her journey to reunite imaginary friends with their children. If features a star-studded cast, including Ryan Reynolds, Steve Carell, and Emily Blunt.

John Krasinski's If is headed to streaming after underperforming at the box office. If will land on Paramount+, where it will begin streaming in the US and Canada on July 9; the international markets will be announced at a later date. Although If premiered in the first spot at the domestic box office upon its May release, the film, which boasts the power of a talented cast, fell short of expectations, grossing over $185 million at the global box office (against a pre-marketing budget of $110 million).

If - an abbreviation for Imaginary Friends - centers on young Bea (Cailey Fleming), who, following a difficult experience, begins...

Ryan Reynolds and John Krasinski’s imaginary friends have a date with Paramount+. Paramount Pictures’ If is set to begin streaming on the platform on July 9 in the U.S. and Canada. International Paramount+ markets will be announced at a later date.

If debuted at No. 1 at the domestic box office in May and has since grossed more than $185 million worldwide.

Written, directed by and starring Krasinski and Reynolds, the film poses the question: Ever wonder where your imaginary friends go when they’re no longer in your brain? The title doubles as both a cryptic description and an abbreviation for “Imaginary Friends.”

The film follows a young girl (Cailey Fleming) who discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends, known as Ifs. She embarks on a magical journey to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids, before they disappear.

Steve Carell voices a large purple creature named Blue. In addition to Krasinski,...

Paramount wasn’t messing around during their CinemaCon panel today, giving attendees previews of movies like Smile 2, Gladiator II, A Quiet Place: Day One, Transformers One, and If, revealing The Running Man casting news, and announcing several movies, including a live-action comedy from Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Scary Movie 6, a Transformers / G.I. Joe crossover, and a live-action, R-rated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie. They also unveiled several titles on their 2024 – 2026 slate, and we can’t possibly cover them all… so we have gone ahead and dropped the full list into this article. Scroll down to see what Paramount has in store for us over the next couple years.

If

Release Date: May 17, 2024

Written and Directed by: John Krasinski

Producers: Allyson Seeger, p.g.a., John Krasinski, p.g.a., Andrew Form, p.g.a., Ryan Reynolds

Executive Producers: John J. Kelly, George Dewey, Kimberly Nelson LoCascio

Cast: Cailey Fleming,...

Paramount Pictures has released the final trailer for writer and director John Krasinski’s If, a live-action/animated fantasy comedy opening in theaters and Dolby Cinema on May 17, 2024.

If is about a girl who discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends — and what she does with that superpower — as she embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten IFs with their kids.

If stars Cailey Fleming, Ryan Reynolds, John Krasinski, Fiona Shaw, and the voices of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr., and Steve Carell, alongside many more as the wonderfully unique characters that reflect the incredible power of a child’s imagination.

John J. Kelly, George Dewey, and Kimberly Nelson LoCascio executive produced the film, which is a Sunday Night and Maximum Effort production.

The movie began principal photography on August 31, 2022, and wrapped filming by early May 2023. The film’s producers are Allyson Seeger, John Krasinski, Andrew Form,...

John Krasinski didn’t wonder what would happen if he helmed a children’s film. Instead, he up and wrote “If.”

The “A Quiet Place” director is behind Paramount Pictures’ “If,” which follows a girl named Bea (Cailey Fleming) who discovers that she can see everyone’s imaginary friends. Later, she embarks on a magical adventure to reconnect forgotten imaginary friends, “IFs” for short, with their kids. In addition to writing and directing, Krasinskialso plays Bea’s father, with the story including the perspective of an If named Blue (Steve Carell).

Producer Ryan Reynolds also stars alongside Fiona Shaw, with Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Louis Gossett Jr., Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Christopher Meloni, Maya Rudolph, George Clooney, Bradley Cooper, Keegan-Michael Key, Blake Lively, and Amy Schumer among the many A-listers lending their voices to the animated characters.

The feature also serves as an “Office” reunion between Krasinski and Carell. Krasinski told Total Film...

Studio 8 is quickly ramping up, hiring four more executives in both finance and production as it prepares its production slate that will see two movies the first year, four in the second and six in each of the next three, with budgets ranging from $45 million to $100 million-plus. Studio 8 CEO Jeff Robinov said last month that he had planned to hire 14-16 people and is making good on that word. The newest hires include Shaun Williams as his Chief Financial Officer. Williams previously worked at Gk Films where he oversaw day-to-day operations as SVP of Finance. The executive had been involved with Studio 8 since its beginnings when they began developing the overall business plan. He helped to structure the corporate credit facility.

Robinov and his new media company is backed by Shanghai-based China’s Fosun Group which also officially set up shop with Sony. Fosun is the largest privately-owned conglomerate in mainland China.

Studio 8 is quickly ramping up, hiring four more executives in both finance and production as it prepares its production slate that will see two movies the first year, four in the second and six in each of the next three, with budgets ranging from $45 million to $100 million-plus. Studio 8 CEO Jeff Robinov said last month that he had planned to hire 14-16 people and is making good on that word. The newest hires include Shaun Williams as his Chief Financial Officer. Williams previously worked at Gk Films where he oversaw day-to-day operations as Svp of Finance. The executive had been involved with Studio 8 since its beginnings when they began developing the overall business plan. He helped to structure the corporate credit facility.

Robinov and his new media company is backed by Shanghai-based China’s Fosun Group which also officially set up shop with Sony. Fosun is the largest privately-owned conglomerate in mainland China.

Banking and finance expert Jared Underwood is at the centre of a new film venture formed by New York Private Bank & Trust (Nypb&T) and Aperture Media Partners. Separately, Jeff Robinov has announced new additions to his senior team.

The new company is structured to create a one-stop shop for producers and distributors seeking financing for film and television projects.

Aperture will have the capacity to take a range of positions including bridge loans, finishing funds, gap loans, library advances, P&A funding, production finance, tax credit monetization, sales agent advances and ultimates financing.

The company is supported by a network of banks, hedge funds, private equity and family offices.

Underwood (pictured) is Aperture CEO while banker Andrew Robinson is COO.

Jeff Robinov’s Studio 8 has expanded its executive suite by hiring Shaun Williams as CFO, Lindsey Bayman as head of business affairs, Mark Bakshi as head of physical production and Kimberly LoCascio as head of...