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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
Stephen King is on a roll this year! Aside from Spike’s The Mist television series as well as The Dark Tower–which shoots into movie theaters in two weeks–are other adaptations of his work. This includes Gerald’s Game on Netflix, and not to forget the Castle Rock and Mr. Mercedes television series. However, one of the most anticipated adaptations of King’s work would have to be IT. (NOTE: This upcoming 2017 version of IT is not a remake nor a reboot of the 1990 miniseries, but a new adaptation based on King’s 1986 novel of the same name.) Director Andrés Muschietti (of Mama fame) and author Stephen King himself (via video message) showed new footage as well as a new trailer to fans in a theater earlier this week exclusively at the San Diego Comic Con. In addition, an SDCC poster was recently released. Below is a breakdown of the footage. Warning: this article may contain potential spoilers!
The first preview depicts a feel akin to that of Stand By Me as the group of young misfits (aka The Losers) bond over a swim in the summer water.
There are:
Bill Denbrough (portrayed by Midnight Special‘s Jaeden Lieberher)–the tallest of the group and teased for his stuttering, his younger brother Georgie died having his arm ripped off by the eponymous antagonist (aka Pennywise) several months prior to the events of the film;
Richie “Trashmouth” Rozier (played by Finn Wolfhard of Stranger Things fame)–the eyeglass-wearing wisecrack of the Losers, he imitates voices but pretty much fails at it;
Eddie Kaspbrak–always carrying around an inhaler with him at all times, his mother insists that he is one sickly individual;
Stanley Uris–an organized Boy Scout and Jew; and
Ben Hanscom–an overweight obese child and is a target of bully Henry Bowers (and his friends, Victor “Vic” Criss and “Belch Huggins”).
The boys are in awe of the only girl in their group, blossoming Beverly “Bev/Bevvie” Marsh (a child of poverty), as she joins them in the water. Afterward, Ben Hanscom whips out a little project he has been working on pertaining to the town of Derry’s history (however, in the book and miniseries, this is Mike Hanlon’s role).
BEN HANSCOM
“[When] I first moved here, I didn’t have anybody I knew, so I just started spending time at the library.”
RICHIE TOZIER (sneering)
“You went to the library…on purpose?”
There are newspaper clippings about the explosion at the Kitchener Iron Works that took the lives of many Derry men, women, and children; in the book, this occurred during an Easter Egg hunt. Another shows “The Black Spot,” a nightclub nearby an Army base filled with African-American soldiers; The Black Spot was burned down–with a myriad of patrons inside–by a group of local white supremacists dubbed “The Maine Legion of White Decency.”
ONE OF THEM
“Why is it all murders and missing kids?”
BEN HANSCOM
“Derry’s not like any town I’ve ever been in before. They did a study once, and it turns out people die or disappear here at six times the national average.”
BEVERLY MARSH
“You read that?”
BEN HANSCOM
“That’s just grown-ups. Kids are worse. Way worse. I’ve got more stuff if you want to see it…”
Stan Uris shakes his head; he does not want to see any more of these tragic articles.
The second preview describes the infamous Apocalyptic Rockfight. It shows the seventh and final Loser, Mike Hanlon, who is one of the only African-Americans in the town of Derry, Maine. This results in him being constantly bullied, especially by Henry Bowers, who learned his discriminative hatred from his father. (In the novel, Henry and his father spent years tormenting the Hanlon family as both families lived on farms in close proximity from one another.) Henry and his two close friends have Mike pinned down, his face against the rocks. Mike hopelessly looks around for help until he sees a clown in the distance. The clown–Pennywise–is waving a hand, but a hand that is not his (or It’s). The hand belongs to a child; it is a dismembered arm, ripped off at the elbow. From the looks of the clown’s bloody (literally) smile, It has been nibbling on it.
Mike is in disbelief in what his eyes are seeing. Entertainment Weekly says that “the demented glee the bullies are taking in beating on [Mike] is what drew It from Its lair. Either they’re feeding off of It, or It is feeding off of their manic violence. Maybe both.” In other words, It is either feeding off of the bullies’ fury or Its presence is making the bullies more exasperated. The boys’ rage increases and as Mike struggles, Henry prepares to bash his head in with a softball-sized rock. Before this can even happen, another rock whizzes through the air and hits Henry on the head. The bullies look across the creek–the Kenduskeag, perhaps?–to see the other six Losers. Stan compliments Bev’s throwing, and Ben picks up a rock and throws it across the stream.
RICHIE TOZIER (roaring, as he gets a rock to the forehead)
“ROCK WAR!!!”
The rockfight occurs, and afterward, the bullies retreat into the woods, but not without some battle wounds. Richie recovers from his hit and calls Henry a “mullet-wearing asshole” as he follows after Victor and Belch and recognizing defeat. The Losers then walk down train tracks (a good nod to the Stand By Me film, based on King’s novella The Body from Different Seasons).
MIKE HANLON
“Thanks, guys, but you shouldn’t have done that. He’ll be after you too, now.”
BILL DENBROUGH (stuttering, as usual)
“I guess that one th-th-th-thing we all have in common. Welcome to the Losers Club.”
The scene ends with all seven of them in unison, thus completing the circle. Muschietti describes this as “a meaning moment in [both] the book and the miniseries where the Losers discover the power of being together–the power that comes from being together.”
Muschietti also shows a preview of a new trailer, which is to be officially be released next week.
BOY
“When you’re a kid, you think the universe revolves around you. That you’ll always be protected and cared for. Then, one day, you realize that’s not true.”
Ben is then shown being held down by the three bullies near a bridge. His shirt is pulled up, and Henry is carving the “H” of his name onto the boy’s belly. A car slows down by them; inside is an older couple, who see this horrendous occurrence, but then continue driving on. As the vehicle moves away, Ben sees a single red balloon rise from the back seat.
Then the trailer shows the ever so popular scene of Georgie getting his arm ripped from his body; the boy is in his yellow slicker, sailing his paper boat down the rain-filled gutter until it disappears into a storm drain.
BOY (con’t)
” ‘Cause when you’re alone as a kid, monsters see you as weaker. You don’t even know they’re getting closer. Until it’s too late.”
Pennywise/ It emerges from the darkness of the drain, holding the paper boat in hand.
IT
“Here… Take it…”
The street is shown again, but this time without the boat, Pennywise, or Georgie.
MIKE HANLON
“All the bad things that happen in this town are because of one thing. An evil thing.”
Then there’s footage from the previous trailer(s); Georgie in the basement saying “If you come with me, you’ll float too” with exuberance, and other familiar lines of dialogue. Then:
BILL DENBROUGH
“What happens when another Georgie goes missing? Are we just going to pretend [as if] it didn’t happen, like everyone else in this town? Or will we stick together?”
His younger brother screaming, “You’ll float too–you’ll float too–you’ll float too!!”
In the last part of the IT trailer, Richie enters a room full of clown dolls, each of different types and sizes. One by one, they turn to face him as he passes. An extremely horrifying doll stands at the center of the room. This turns out to be Pennywise, who reveals his razor sharp teeth and lunges at Richie.
Fade to black.
So far, IT seems to stay true to its promise: that it’ll do Stephen King (as well as his 1986 novel and 1990 miniseries) justice.
A new trailer (perhaps the SDCC one) is due to arrive next week, according to the official IT page accounts. (https://twitter.com/ITMovieOfficial/status/888065966554230784)
King also lauded the director and the 2017 film adaptation, giving his seal of approval.
Andy Muschietti's remake of IT (actually it's Part 1–The Losers' Club) succeeds beyond my expectations. Relax. Wait. And enjoy.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) March 7, 2017
Give the book a try. It is definitely worth it. Don’t believe me? Read my review on Goodreads! Stephen King’s IT floats into theaters on September 8, 2017!!! For more Stephen King and IT-related news, follow Geek Motivation on Twitter and Instagram!
Sources: Entertainment Weekly and Super Bro Movies
Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
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