There’s no denying it: Director Andy Muschietti’s 2017 adaptation of Stephen King’s It was fifty shades of freaky. Well, prepare for things to get scarier, bloodier, and way more traumatizing in the film’s upcoming sequel, It: Chapter Two. It’s just been confirmed that two extremely controversial aspects of King’s 1986 novel have made it into the film. Spoilers ahead!
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, screenwriter Gary Dauberman revealed that It: Chapter Two will include one of the most haunting scenes in the book: – A horrific hate crime against a young g** man named Adrian Mellon, who will be portrayed by actor, writer, and director Xavier Dolan.
In the book, Mellon becomes the victim of a savage beating at the hands of three homophobic teenagers, who throw him over a bridge. Then, he’s subsequently murdered by Pennywise the Dancing Clown. This subplot was conspicuously absent from the 1990 television adaptation of It, but the creative team behind the upcoming film thought it was important to include Mellon’s story.
As Dauberman explained to The Hollywood Reporter:
“It is an iconic scene in the book and one we wanted to include in the movie. […] It is the influence of Pennywise even while he is hibernating, and it’s pure evil what happens to Adrian. These bullies working through Pennywise was important for us to show.”
Another contentious aspect of King’s novel is the plight of adult Beverly Marsh, portrayed by Jessica Chastain. The second part of King’s novel jumps ahead 27 years, and we learn that Marsh has become a domestic abuse victim at the hands of her husband Tom Rogan. We now know this storyline is included in It: Chapter Two, and the film closely mirrors the events of the book. As Dauberman explained, the whole production wanted to remain true to the original novel.
It’s safe to say the It sequel will outdo the first installment on every front. Dauberman promises that
“[The film is] definitely bloodier than the first and it is just as scary, if not scarier.”
Muschietti clearly agrees. Over a year ago, he warned fans that they should prepare to be rocked to the core, claiming that,
“It’s going to be scarier and more intense, so bring your adult diapers to the movie theater.”
Two more tidbits are sure to pique the interest of any gorehound. The film evidently features a scene that’s doused in a shocking amount of stage blood… and Pennywise will reportedly be far more savage this time around.
Chastain described the b***** sequence in an interview with Jimmy Fallon.
Meanwhile, Pennywise actor Bill Skarsgård told Entertainment Weekly that the creature has only become stronger in the 27 years it spent lying dormant in the Derry sewers. And whereas Pennywise was once terrorizing the children for sport, the ghastly creature is now motivated by revenge. As Skarsgård explains:
“It fuels hatred and anger towards the kids, who will be adults in this one, so I think there might be an even more vicious Pennywise. He’s really going after it.”
It sounds like It: Chapter Two is going to be truly terrifying, and the inclusion of those two unsettling subplots from the book will just make the film even more upsetting.
See how everything plays out when It: Chapter Two floats into theaters on September 6th.
#It #ItChapterTwo #ItChapter2 #Pennywise