It: Chapter 2 - Everything We Know So Far
Who's back for round 2?
Debuting last year, Andrés Muschietti’s It broke box office records and scared the socks off of audiences the world over. Some of the many records broken by the film include: biggest opening for a film in September, biggest opening weekend for a horror film and the second biggest opening weekend for an R-rated movie (sitting behind Deadpool). But perhaps the most impressive of its achievements is its topping of the worldwide and domestic box offices as the most successful horror film ever.
It even had the book's writer, Stephen King, singing its praises stating a relatable story and development of characters as key to its success. And it wasn't only King who celebrated the film - critics too were quick to applaud the nostalgic horror earning the film a fresh rating of 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. So, it came as little surprise when a sequel was quickly announced.
The 2017 film followed a group of young misfits (aptly self-named The Losers' Club) in a small fictional town in Maine in the 1980s. As children begin to mysteriously disappear in the town the group must band together to take down the evil behind the kidnappings, a clown named Pennywise. Pennywise feeds on the fear of children and must feast every 27 years but he gets more than he bargained for when he faces off against The Losers' Club.
Over six months since the sequel was announced, this is what we know so far...
9. The Release Date
It was revealed only a few weeks after the film’s debut that the sequel will be released on September 6th 2019, the same month as the first film. The release date gives the team ample time to prepare, shoot and edit the project, and sees it debuting in the same month that brought the original so much success.
It will also put it in competition with another horror film, The grudge, which is getting a 2019 reboot starring Andrea Riseborough and John Cho and will be released at end of August. In terms of fellow September releases, the film should have no trouble with the month mainly consisting of comedies and animation.
8. The Director Returns
Back in July last year, before the first film was even released, Muschietti announced he would return to tackle chapter 2. This not only speaks of Muschietti's love for the story and commitment to seeing it through to the end, but also shows the confidence the execs at Warner Bros. had in the film before it was even seen by audiences.
It stands as a no-brainer decision regardless, with the film's huge success, and Muschietti's own success within the genre (he directed 2013's critically acclaimed Mama), the odds of lightning striking twice are looking good.