Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 isn’t the only 2017 film to receive the spotlight from Empire Magazine, as the outlet has now conjured up a suitably terrifying new image for Andy Muschietti’s imminent It reboot.
Recreating the famous gutter scene from Stephen King’s beloved horror novel – not to mention the moment when Tim Curry stared out from the shadows in the 1990 TV miniseries – the picture in question gives us a fleeting glimpse at Bill Skarsgård as the sneering, otherworldly clown known to you, I and the residents of Derry, Maine as Pennywise. What’s interesting here is that, after Matt and Ross Duffer’s initial plans for an It reboot came apart, New Line has actually cited Stranger Things as an inspiration – talk about going full circle – and the inclusion of Finn Wolfhard (he plays Mike Wheeler on Netflix’s sci-fi phenomenon) only ramps up the nostalgia factor.
But reviving a dormant horror icon is no mean feat, and as Andy Muschietti revealed to Empire, the creative team is employing a less-is-more approach when it comes to both Pennywise and the supernatural horror he (it?) brings. Here’s what the Argentine director had to share on his upcoming reboot, and I hope you’re wearing brown pants.
“There’s supposed to be a less-is-more thing in horror. It’s like you’re not really meant to show the monster. But Pennywise is different. With Pennywise, it’s like, ‘This is the monster, I’m showing it to you… and you’re going to shit a brick.’”
Footage of New Line’s horror reimagining was screened to those in attendance at SXSW 2017, indicating that it shouldn’t be too long before the first trailer for It finds its way online. September 8th is the date for your diaries and at least for the time being, those ambitious sequel plans – sequel plans that revisit the Losers Club years after the fact – remain firmly intact.