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John Krasinski went from playing Jim in The Office to becoming one of the most successful actor-writer-director of this generation. After finding success with A Quiet Place franchise, which he wrote and directed himself, now Krasinski is back with the movie If. If or Imaginary Friend, is the latest movie from his bag of brilliance, which, again, the 44-year-old wrote and directed himself.

Ryan Reynolds and Cailey Fleming in a still from If | Paramount Pictures

The movie has all the who’s who from the industry, starring Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Krasinski himself, alongside his wife, Emily Blunt, and so many others. Cailey Fleming is at the center of the story, who goes on a magical adventure to reconnect people with their imaginary friend who they have lost on their way. The movie recently released its final trailer before premier, and it is a crossover we did not know we needed.

When two stories with similar premises debut around the same time, awkwardness is natural. We're about to have the latest case of this in 2024.

On one hand, "If" (short for "Imaginary Friend"). He may not be Reed Richards in "Fantastic Four" as some had anticipated, but John Krasinski has leveraged his success directing "A Quiet Place" and its sequel. Now, with "If," he's pivoting away from horror to a family-friendly comedy. "If" is about a young girl named Bea (Cailey Fleming) who can see people's imaginary friends. She then discovers her middle-aged neighbor (Ryan Reynolds) has the same power. "If" is set for release in May 2024.

Even as Krasinski flexes his directorial skills in a different genre, a horror film about imaginary friends is releasing a couple of months earlier on March 8. "Imaginary," the latest jump scare monster movie from Blumhouse, follows a mother, Jessica (DeWanda Wise), and her stepdaughter...

Stephen Chbosky never intended to create a film series. But with the films “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” “Wonder” and now “Dear Evan Hansen” under his belt, he jokes that he has made “The First Day of School Trilogy.”

Based on the Tony Award-winning musical, “Dear Evan Hansen” will open the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 9, and will be released in theaters on Sept. 24. It’s a bit of a departure for director Chbosky – it’s his first time helming a musical, though he adapted the screenplays for “Rent” and “Beauty and the Beast” – and it marks the first time he didn’t come aboard as writer, deferring duties to the play’s author, Steven Levenson. But in many ways, it shares hallmarks with those others films, telling the story of an outsider with kindness and sensitivity.

Ben Platt reprises his Tony Award-winning role as Evan, a teenager with social anxiety,...

Who doesn’t love a creepy novel once in a while, eh? I mean, I know I do. Horror is in my blood and has been for a long, long time, and so it’s only natural that I’m a fan of horror fiction too. I’ve read it for decades, beginning with my childhood, spent reading Point Horror books with titles like The Babysitter, Trick or Treat and The Funhouse. As I’ve gotten older (and older) I’ve sought out horror books that had something unique about them, or that sounded up my alley. I tend to like horror novels with a cinematic and comic style, books that I can almost See on a screen as I read. That’s the sweet spot.

So, I thought it might be cool to highlight ten horror novels, most of them fairly recent, that you should check out if you haven’t yet.

It’s been 20 years since Stephen Chbosky released his debut novel, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” to worldwide praise and adoration. He’s been busy since then — scripting the live-action “Beauty and Beast,” directing the adaptation of another beloved book “Wonder,” and even adapting “Perks” into an equally acclaimed feature film. But he always intended to write another novel.

“My experience with adapting my own book and directing ‘Perks’ was so gratifying, I knew I had to do it again,” says Chbosky. “But that would necessitate another book. So I had to write it.”

Chbosky is calling from Massachusetts, one stop on a busy tour that begin on Oct. 1, when his new novel “Imaginary Friend” was released. At first glance, fans might be caught off guard. Where “Perks” ran around 250 pages and was a grounded high school coming of age story, “Imaginary Friend” clocks in at over 700 pages and...

Independent filmmakers Sergey Sarkisov and Nick Sarkisov have launched Blitz Films as a finance and production company, Variety has learned exclusively.

The first project the company is producing and financing is “Heart of a Champion,” a martial arts story written by David McKenna (“American History X”). Produced in association with Straight Up Films, the film follows a high school judo prodigy who steps into the Ultimate Fighting Championship cage to face the ultimate rival in a battle for recognition and retribution –- his father.

Blitz, which made the announcement Wednesday, will specialize in “responsibly-budgeted” indie fare along with a wide variety of genre projects. Producer Eryl Cochran has signed on as head of production and development for Blitz and will work out of the company’s Los Angeles office.

Nick Sarkisov will make his American feature directorial debut with “Heart of a Champion.” He began his career working with independent...

If your idea of Christmas cheer is a drunk hit man coughing up blood in a dive-bar bathroom to the sounds of “Jingle Bells”… well, Syfy has a holiday treat for you.

To be clear, the network’s wild new graphic-novel adaptation Happy! — debuting this Wednesday at 10/9c — is most definitely not for everyone. It’s an adrenaline-charged roller coaster of sex, drugs and graphic violence, with a wickedly cynical sense of humor to boot. It’s relentlessly in-your-face, and the faint of heart (or of stomach) need not apply. But it’s also one hell of a ride, with gleefully over-the-top action sequences…...

Genre queen Felicia Day has lined up her next sci-fi/fantasy role: an integral character on Syfy’s The Magicians.

Day will play Poppy in the drama’s upcoming third season, Nerdist reports. Those who’ve read the Lev Grossman novels on which the series is based will recognize the character as the dragon expert who helps the gang in a time of dire need.

RelatedThe Magicians EPs on Ember as Big Bad, Julia’s Surprise, Fairy Threat and More

“I am thrilled to join The Magicians this season,” Felicia Day said in a statement posted to the site.

Ray Donovan‘s dearly departed wife has booked a super follow-up project, with Paula Malcomson signing on for a role in Syfy’s highly anticipated Krypton.

RelatedRay Donovan‘s Paula Malcomson Talks ‘Hellish’ Abby Storyline: ‘It Got Gnarly’

The Superman prequel series, premiering in 2018, follows Kal-El’s grandfather (played by Cameron Cuffe) as he fights to redeem his family’s honor and save his beloved world from chaos. Malcomson is set to appear in a guest-starring capacity as Charys, the matriarch of House El, our sister site Deadline reports.

In addition, Da Vinci’s Demons vet Blake Ritson has...

Defiance alum Anna Hopkins is once again your Syfy gal, having booked a plum recurring role on The Expanse.

RelatedElizabeth Mitchell Joins The Expanse for Season 3

TVLine has learned exclusively that Hopkins has been cast in the role of Monica, a charming and savvy journalist who has a way of convincing her subjects to let their guard down. She will debut midway through Season 3 when she is assigned to document Holden’s (Steven Strait) administration of the Rocinante.

This casting news comes on the heels of Hopkins being revealed as playing the recurring role of Shadowhunters baddie Lilith in...

There have been a lot of shows and movies about corrupt, broken down cops trying to make amends for their dirty deeds, but have any of those movies and shows paired the cop with an imaginary friend? No, they absolutely have not. But Happy! does exactly that. The new Syfy series adapts a graphic novel from Grant […]

The post The ‘Happy!’ Trailer Pairs Christopher Meloni With An Imaginary Friend appeared first on /Film.

Move expands Cinesite’s feature animation capabilities into Vancouver.

Cinesite Studios has acquired Vancouver-based full service animation facility Nitrogen Studios Canada. Terms of the transaction, which closed on March 1, were not disclosed.

The studio animated the children’s show Thomas And Friends and is in production on the second season of Guillermo del Toro’s TV show Trollhunters for DreamWorks Animation, which Netflix will air later this year. Its credits include Seth Rogen’s Sausage Party.

Nitrogen employs 70 creative and production staff and the Cinesite board will work with Nitrogen’s senior team to fast-track the Vancouver facility into the Cinesite Studios group.

This marks the second acquisition for Cinesite Studios in Vancouver following the July 2015 merger with the visual effects studio Image Engine. Cinesite has facilities in London, Montreal and Vancouver.

Antony Hunt (pictured), group CEO of Cinesite Studios Group, said: “As one of the largest independent studio brands producing visual effects and animation, this acquisition...

Move expands Cinesite’s feature animation capabilities into Vancouver.

Cinesite Studios has acquired Vancouver-based full service animation facility Nitrogen Studios Canada. Terms of the transaction, which closed on March 1, were not disclosed.

The studio animated the children’s show Thomas And Friends and is in production on the second season of Guillermo del Toro’s TV show Trollhunters for DreamWorks Animation, which Netflix will air later this year. Its credits include Seth Rogen’s Sausage Party and

Nitrogen employs 70 creative and production staff and the Cinesite board will work with Nitrogen’s senior team to fast-track the Vancouver facility into the Cinesite Studios group.

This marks the second acquisition for Cinesite Studios in Vancouver following the July 2015 merger with the visual effects studio Image Engine. Cinesite has facilities in London, Montreal and Vancouver.

Antony Hunt (pictured), group CEO of Cinesite Studios Group, said: “As one of the largest independent studio brands producing visual effects and animation, this acquisition...

Exclusive: Jeremy Renner and Don Handfield are producing the first animated film through their banner the Combine, along with Straight Up Films and Cinesite. I.F. (Imaginary Friend) is inspired by the song “Imaginary Friend” by two-time Grammy-nominated kid-hop artist Secret Agent 23 Skidoo from his album Perfect Quirk. Development and pre-production will begin this year with some stellar talent aboard. First off, the Combine produced John Lee Hancock’s Michael…...