Director Andy Muschietti's horror remake of Stephen King's clown opus “It” was a box-office smash last fall. It even surpassed "The Exorcist" at the top spot and became the highest-grossing horror movie in box-office history, nabbing more than $327M at the domestic box-office. Incredible numbers, so much so that a sequel was inevitable, and, as we quickly learned, was in the works only a few weeks after the film's September release.
The focus of this aforementioned second chapter would be on the main kids, but all grown up some thirty years later, but Pennywise the clown still looming and torturing them in the creaky darkness. Muschietti wasn't shy in his insistence to have Jessica Chastain play grown-up Beverly, the redhead, and we had heard of serious talks between the actress and Warner Brothers pictures occurring as early as this past winter.
Well, THR is now reporting that those talks have translated into Chastain being officially cast for the sequel. However, that's not the only bombshell we received yesterday evening, we also learned that none other than James McAvoy and Bill Hader were now themselves in serious negotiations to join the sequel. McAvoy is supposedly sought to play the role of adult Bill Denbrough, and Hader would be playing Richie Tozier, the dirty-mouthed comedic relief of the "losers club."
"It Chapter 2" will be adapted from King‘s horror novel, which was about a group of childhood friends, that once battled a supernatural clown, returning to their hometown as adults only learn that same evil still exists. If fans were praying for casting to be well thought-out for this much-anticipated sequel, then their wishes have surely been granted. Chastain was strongly pushed as a fan favorite to play Bev and both Hader and McAvoy are strong, resiliently talented actors that will no doubt bring a ton of charisma to their respective roles. Also, Muschietti and Chastain previously worked together on the horror film “Mama,” an underseen gem released earlier this decade. Bill Skarsgård will, of course, be back as the shape-shifting clown from hell, Pennywise.
“It: Chapter 2” opens on September 6, 2019.