How IT Became The Highest Grossing R-Rated Horror Ever

4. It's Genuinely Scary...

If there's one thing that horror movie box office figures prove - and specifically the ones that seem to show huge returns despite the fact that the films are pretty garbage - it's that there is a major audience out there that really, really WANTS to be scared.

If a horror movie marketing campaign can even hint at legitimate scares, they're guaranteed a healthy response in the opening couple of weeks. That's precisely why so many movies claim to be "The Scariest Movie Of The Year" or go heavy on any critical reaction pointing out the terror factor (something critics who like to see their names on posters know all too well). They know scares equal attention.

And thankfully, It genuinely delivers on the creep factor, with some scares that aren't just cheap jumps (there are some of those too), but more that will send chills down your legs, or which will come back to you at 3am, two weeks after you saw the film like whispering ghosts.

3. ...But Not Too Controversial

Unlike Darren Aronofksy's self-congratulatory mother!, It doesn't push anything too far. Even with one notorious scene in Stephen King's book involving underage sex - and the opportunity for a cheap marketing boost by including it - the film remains smart in its approach to darker material.

We see hints of abuse - mental, physical and sexual - but none of it is explicitly shown, and Andres Muschietti is very careful to offer balance without being needlessly provocative. That's the right way to build charm and to build a rapport between fans and the material and it shows in the way the audiences responded with ticket sales.