'It' movie news, release date: First of two films arrives in September
The most horrifying clown is coming to theaters this September. "It," based on the novel of the same name by acclaimed author Stephen King, will see Bill Skarsgard donning clown shoes and white face paint to bring life to Pennywise the Clown.
Skarsgard was cast last year after Will Poulter dropped out. Cary Fukunaga, who is known for helming the first season of "True Detective," was initially attached to the project but eventually left. Andres Muschietti replaced him as the film's director. The cast features an ensemble of actors, including Finn Wolfhard from Netflix's "Stranger Things." Wolfhard will be portraying the role of Richie Tozier, the comical member of the Losers' Club who goes missing.
First-look photos of the terrifying Pennywise were also released in December by Entertainment Weekly. The first photo saw Skarsgard's character in full costume, which is noticeably different and darker than the one Tim Curry sported in the 1990 television adaptation of the novel. The second photo shows Pennywise lurking in the sewers as he waits for potential victims.
For those who are unaware, Pennywise is a clown that terrorizes the town of Derry, Maine, every three decades or so. He has supernatural abilities, including shapeshifting, and usually targets children. However, he also goes after the Losers' Club after they've all grown up.
Because of the novel's scope, "It" will be split into two films. Production for the first film already concluded a few months ago, with producer Barbara Muschietti sharing the news via her Instagram account.
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It remains to be seen when production for the second film will commence, but it has been said that the sequel will revolve around the Losers' Club members as adults.
"We're taking it and making the movie from the point of view of the kids, and then making another movie from the point of view of the adults, that could potentially then be cut together like the novel," producer Roy Lee told Collider in February 2016.
The first "It" movie is scheduled to premiere later this year, on Sept. 8.