Fans of Stephen King will know his 1986 novel is well over 1000 pages long, with settings in both the 1950s and 1980s. And that the real break in the story is the almost three-decade gap between the two time periods. With so much material, it’s hardly surprising that the cinematic adaptation has been split into two movies to cover both the childhood and adult eras. But for the big screen version, the settings have shifted to the 1980s for the kids’ horror adventure and the present for the adults’ return to Derry.
Two years ago, the box office smash It solely covered the childhood period.
While It: Chapter 2 is set to explore the adult Losers’ Club confrontation.
However, the child actors are back for flashback scenes, much like in the original novel.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Bill star James McAvoy said: “Instead of us just standing around going, ‘Oh, I remember that time,’ we get to show it to the audience.”
McAvoy added: “Which is great, because that would be real sad if we had to say goodbye to that cast that the audience across the world fell in love with.
“And actually, in a weird way, this movie resembles the structure of the book, in that it goes back and forth.”
Meanwhile, Pennywise star Bill Skarsgard has teased what to expect of his Dancing Clown.
He said: “He’s scarier and he’s angrier. There’s a couple of very brutal things in the film.”
Additionally, It: Chapter 2 screenwriter Gary Dauberman has spoken out on Jessica Chastain’s Beverly bloodbath scene.
Gary, who has directed Annabelle Comes Home, said: “I think that’s Andy pushing it to the brink; he has a great relationship with Chastain.”
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, he continued: “But, yeah, that’s definitely Andy. I know the particular scene you’re talking about, and there’s no way to do it without a ton of blood.
“Knowing Andy, he always takes things and multiplies them, which is what you want out of your director. It’s pretty incredible.”
It Chapter Two is released in UK cinemas on September 6, 2019.