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The big screen adaptation of Stephen King’s IT was released in 2017 and quickly became the highest grossing horror film of all time, thanks to a positive reception and a stellar marketing campaign, so it was a no-brainer that a sequel is in the works.
IT: Chapter Two is set to adapt the second half of Stephen King’s bulky novel, this time focusing on the grown-up Losers Club, 27 years after Pennywise the Dancing Clown terrorised them as kids, as they return to their home town of Derry to stop IT once and for all.
Unlike the novel, the producers decided to set Chapter One in the 1980’s, rather than the 1950’s, after the success of movies and TV shows such as Stranger Things. Chapter Two is confirmed to be set in 2016 with the scares likely to be more relevant for today’s audiences.
Andy Muschietti is returning to the director’s chair, while the screenplay will once again be written by Gary Dauberman, who recently wrote both Annabelle: Creation (2017) and its spin-off The Nun (2018).
Jessica Chastain is practically confirmed for the older Beverly Marsh, having worked with Andy Muschietti on Mama, his movie directing debut. None of the other Losers have been cast yet, but plenty of rumours have surfaced.
In a new report by Variety, James McAvoy and Bill Hader are in talks to join the cast as the older Bill Denbrough and Richie Tozier. Both are great choices for the roles, with Bill Hader already being a fan favourite choice for Richie.
Bill Skarsgård is set to return as the eerie clown, Pennywise, to haunt the audience once again, with the young cast from Chapter One returning too via flashbacks, which was teased recently on Andy Muschietti’s social media.
Chapter Two is set for release in September 2019, two years after the first, so production is set to begin in the summer of 2018. They will likely film all of the flashbacks first before moving on to the grown-ups.
Whether the sequel will be as well received remains to be seen, but if the movie continues to focus on the characters and the horror is staged effectively, there is little doubt that it will.
IT: Chapter Two will be released September 2019.