New film adaptation of Stephen King’s “It” reveals its redesigned Pennywise

Entertainment Weekly revealed on Tuesday morning the redesigned costume for Pennywise, the horrible inter-dimensional clown monster at the center of “It.” While most King fans are accustomed to Tim Curry’s creepy clown from the 1990 miniseries, director Andy Muschietti is taking a slightly different approach for the 2017 Pennywise, to be played by Bill Skarsgard.

Photo courtesy Warner Bros./Entertainment Weekly

Photo courtesy Warner Bros./Entertainment Weekly

So… what do you think? Do you like the more harlequin, doll-like element to it, rather than the early 1990s horror clown look we’re all used to? What about the hair? Does it do the immortal beast justice? Would you want this guy leering at you from a storm drain somewhere around West Broadway in Ban… I mean Derry?

A little more information on the upcoming “It” update:

  • It’s directed by the aforementioned Andy Muschietti, who thus far has directed only the acclaimed 2013 fantasy horror flick “Mama.”
  • Playing Pennywise is Bill Skarsgard, who at just 25 is far younger than Curry was when he played the supernatural baddie. Skarsgard is the son of Stellan Skarsgard, and the younger brother of Alexander “Tarzan and Eric Northman” Skarsgard.
  • Playing Bill Denbrough is Jaeden Lieberher, seen in movies like “Midnight Special” and “St. Vincent” and on the TV show “Masters of Sex.” Playing Richie, Bill’s friend, is Finn Wolfhard, who was just seen as Mike, the leader of the D&D group and protector of Eleven, in the critically acclaimed Netflix series “Stranger Things.”
  • Though supposedly film crews were in Bangor a while back scouting locations for exterior shots, the film was shot in Toronto and other Canadian locales. Boo.
  • Supposedly the original vision for the adaptation was to be far darker and grittier, with Cary Joji Fukunaga, who directed the first season of “True Detective,” set to direct, and Will Poulter cast as Pennywise. Both left the project when producers decided to make it slightly less violent and dark.
  • The “It” adaptation will be released as two films; one, with the younger characters, set to come out in Sept. 2017, and the second, with the older characters, set to come out sometime in 2018.
  • The coming years will be full of King film adaptations, as we’re also anticipating the first in hopefully many films in the much longed for movie version of “The Dark Tower” series. “The Dark Tower” will come out in February 2017, with Idris Elba as Roland Deschain and Matthew McConaughey.
Emily Burnham

About Emily Burnham

Emily Burnham is a Maine native, UMaine graduate, proud Bangorian and a writer for the Bangor Daily News, where she's worked since 2004. She reports on everything from local bands to local food to all the cool things going on in the Greater Bangor area. In her quest for stories, she's seen countless concerts and plays, been lobster fishing, interviewed celebrities, hung out with water buffalo and played in a ukulele orchestra. She's interested in everything that happens in Maine.