It hasn’t been 27 years, but Pennywise is coming back to grace the big theater screens for one day only. “It: Chapter One” is coming to a theater near you on Sept. 24, with a sneak peek of the upcoming show “It: Welcome to Derry.”
Welcome back
If the Derry memory curse has already gotten to you, I’m here to remind you of what happened in “It: Chapter One” and “It: Chapter Two.” Spoilers ahead — though relatively mild, so feel free to go rewatch the films! The first film was released in 2017 and follows a group of young losers in Derry, Maine. These outcasts are facing their worst nightmare — a terrifying shapeshifting clown that embodies their worst fears. Banding together, the group managed to fight off this clown and live to adulthood. The group, consisting of seven kids, each embody different archetypes. Bill is the leader of the group, ready to take a stand when it matters most. Beverley is the resilient one, enduring the abuse thrown at her with a quiet strength. Richie is the funny one, lightning the load on the group with his humor. Eddie is the anxious one, yet deeply protective of his friends. Mike is the outsider, the one with a unique take on Derry. Ben is the empathetic one, wise beyond his years. And finally, Stanley is the cautious one, wary of the dangers that surround them.
The second film starts off 27 years later, with the kids now all grown up, forced to to fight off the clown after his return. This time around, the Loser’s Club ends the clown once and for all, but at a cost: the best characters — Eddie Kaspbrak and Stanley Uris — dying. Both films were huge successes, with the first grossing over $700 million worldwide and the second making $473.1 million worldwide. Many resonate with the characters and their fears, as the characters deal with real world struggles that are rarely portrayed on screen. The films manage to be great horror movies while also embracing the coming-of-age story that feature childhood trauma and the power of friendship.
Book v.s. Movies
Both films are adaptations of the much longer novel “It” by Stephen King. King is famous for his terrifying novels and their film adaptations like “The Shining,” “Misery” and “Carrie,” but “It” manages to be the most popular of them all. Both the books and the films manage to capture life as a kid while also leaning into the scare factor of horror. The films are considered rather faithful adaptations, though they do have their differences. One of the biggest differences I noticed — yes, I’m trying to read the book, it’s a 45-hour audiobook and I’m only two hours in — was the narrative timeline. The films stay in one timeline, with the first following the kids and the second following the kids turned adults. The book, however, has a habit of making jumps between the adult and child timeline, which confused me a lot when I first started listening. However, many viewers actually appreciate this difference due to the popularity of the child timeline, which is seen in the movies as the first film made significantly more money. The second film opened to significantly more criticism, with many fans calling it “bloated” or not scary enough, as the film leans heavily into the comedic aspects as well as the use of CGI. Despite this, I will say “It: Chapter Two” remains my favorite. Whether you’re fan of the first film or the second, the re-release is a great way to see the Loser’s Club with fresh eyes at the theater!
When and Where to Watch the “It” Rerelease
If you’re itching to see the film in theaters, have no fear! The film is set to rerelease for one day only in select theaters, so pray it’s near you! On Sept. 24, “It: Chapter One” is coming to Dolby Cinema at AMC Theaters. This means total immersion into the “It” world, with advanced 3D sound, amazing image quality and even sensory feedback. Tickets are on sale now, so I’d grab them now before they sell out! If you can’t make it to the rerelease, I feel you. I can’t either, but do not worry, there is another option. Find a friend who has HBO Max and watch both films there! If you don’t have HBO Max, you can also watch both films on Prime Video, Hulu or rent them for $3.99 each. Now get that popcorn and settle in, you have a clown waiting for you. But if you are one of the lucky ones who snagged tickets to the rerelease, there’s a special treat for you. The rerelease will feature a sneak peek of the upcoming show “It: Welcome to Derry,” coming to HBO Max in October.
“It: Welcome to Derry”
Now, even if you don’t get to see the sneak peek of the show, you should still be very excited for the upcoming show! The show is a prequel to the original films, set in 1962, a cycle before the Losers Club battled Pennywise the first time around. The show revolves around a family that has just moved to Derry as a boy disappears. After their arrival, terrible things begin to happen. The series will tackle many things alongside the horrifying Pennywise, with racial themes being present in the trailer. The show features a returning Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise, along with some new characters played by Taylour Paige, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Madeleine Stowe, Stephen Rider and Jovan Adepo. In addition to this stellar cast, Andres Muschietti, the director of the first two films, is also returning to direct “It: Welcome to Derry.” King himself is reported to be involved in the show as well! Not much is known about the show, but there is already talk of a second and third season, with them likely being set in 1935 and 1908, respectively. The second is rumored to go into the Neibolt house and its origins, but nothing is confirmed yet! The show is a must-see, so get ready for it! It’s set to premiere on HBO Max on Oct. 26, and an episode will be released every week.
