I love a good horror movie, but I also get scared very easily. Whenever a new movie comes out, I have this internal debate on whether I should see it and face possible paranoia afterward, or opt to not watch it and save myself the trouble.
Of course, I never make the smart decision and I always end up watching the movie anyway. It seems that the buzzed about, It, telling the tale of a murderous clown, will be no exception.
Here are a few facts on the new nightmare fuel, now playing in a theater near you:
1. There is significance in when the movie was released.
In the original novel by Stephen King, It awakens every 27 years. It made a television debut in 1990 on a television series, and he is now returning, this time on the silver screen, in 2017.
27 years, exactly.
Creeped out? Me too.
2. Skarsgård didn’t use special effects for his eerie eye trick.
Director Andrés Muschietti planned on using special effects to make Pennywise’s eyes go in two different directions, but Bill Skarsgård said that he could do it all on his own.
«I have a bit of a lazy eye on my left side, so if I relax the muscle in the eye, my left eye goes out and I become completely wall-eyed. We thought that would be cool to use in the character, so throughout the film his eyes are pointing in two different directions,» he said.
Consider me hella impressed, Bill!
3. Will Poulter was up for the role of Pennywise.
Will Poulter was set to play Pennywise, but after the first director left there were delays in the film, which forced Poulter to drop the film. Bill Skarsgård is now cast as the infamous clown instead.
4. Stephen King has approved of and even praised the film.
Six months before the film debuted in theaters, the author of the original novel, Stephen King, was given a private screening. He said that the film, «exceeded his expectations» and told producers they did, «a wonderful job.»
5. It has given some of the cast nightmares.
Bill has gotten so into the role of Pennywise, he said that he has had nightmares about the film.
That makes two of us, Bill. That makes two of us.
6. Bill spent about half of his time on set preparing for the role.
Tim Curry played the original Pennywise in the It television series, and his performance is so incredible and iconic. Andy and Bill spent a lot of time perfecting Bill’s mannerisms and overall performance as Pennywise, to ensure that it lived up to the public’s expectations. Bill didn’t actually start filming until halfway through production!
That is some serious dedication.
7. Mike Wheeler from Stranger Things, aka Finn Wolfhard irl, is cast in the film.
Yes, one of the main characters from our favorite Netflix series, Stranger Things, will star as one of the main children who is terrorized by Pennywise in It. Can’t wait to see how different his two characters are!
8. Bill didn’t meet the child actors on set until he was in full costume and makeup.
Andy wanted Bill Skarsgård to first meet the teenagers during the filming of their first scene, between the Losers Club and Pennywise. Why? He wanted to make sure there was genuine fear in their acting, and that the teenagers were actually terrified of Pennywise.
To be honest, who wouldn’t be? But, this does sound like a smart strategy!
9. There is a tribute to the original Pennywise, Tim Curry.
When Richie Tozier is in the clown room, there is a mannequin of the original Pennywise, played by the iconic Tim Curry, from the 1990 television mini-series.
10. It took seven years for the team to develop the film.
Guys, that doesn’t even include filming. According to IMDb, it took seven years of development before casting and filming even began. That is crazy!
11. Channing Tatum was up for the role of the famous clown?
According to IMDb, other actors besides Skarsgård that were considered for the role of Pennywise included Johnny Depp, Tom Hiddleston, Tilda Swinton, Jim Carrey, Hugo Weaving, Doug Jones, and Channing Tatum.
Magic Mike: Horror Edition, anyone? I cannot imagine Tatum playing such a horrifying role, how about you?
12. It the film takes place about three decades later than that of the novel.
While Stephen King’s It, the book, takes place in 1958, the film is set to take place in 1989, in a small town in Maine.
Do you plan on seeing this terrifying movie? I’m going to regret it but considering what an iconic character Pennywise is, and the fact that it is an interpretation on a famous Stephen King novel, I have to.
