After two very long years, the first terrifying teaser for IT: Chapter Two has arrived. So far, fans seem happy with (and therefore scared of) the debut footage, and the anticipated sequel has already gotten Stephen King’s seal of approval. But just like with any good trailer, questions have already started springing to mind.
Luckily, screenwriter Gary Dauberman was able to clear up some confusion without spoiling anything for anybody who hasn’t read King’s original book, or seen the classic TV miniseries. One specific thing he did confirm, however, was that the new film is going to include two controversial scenes from the novel: one involving a hate crime, and another depicting domestic abuse.
A sequence from the page that didn’t make it into the 1990 TV movie (for obvious reasons) shows a young gay boy being brutally attacked by a gang of bullies. The character, Adrian Mellon (Xavier Dolan), is later murdered by Pennywise, but Dauberman defended its placement in the sequel:
“It is an iconic scene in the book and one we wanted to include in the movie. It is the first attack in present-day Derry and sets the stage for what Derry has become. It is the influence of Pennywise even while he is hibernating, and it’s pure evil what happens to Adrian. These bullies working through Pennywise was important for us to show.”
Fans who saw the trailer Thursday also got a tiny glimpse at the domestic abuse that’ll be on display in Chapter Two. As adult Beverly, played by Jessica Chastain, visits her childhood home in search of her father, bruises can be clearly spotted on her arm. Beverly is a victim of dreadful abuse on King’s page, and as Dauberman points out, “we try to be true to the novel.”
Another thing the screenwriter discussed were the expectations placed on the crew following the success of its predecessor. Dauberman had this to say about the sequel’s relationship with the original:
“Fans of the first film will be pleased. They’re definitely a presence in this movie. (It’s) definitely bloodier than the first and it is just as scary, if not scarier. The two movies feel like a complete whole. This feels like a natural progression and extension of the first.”
If you don’t think you’ll enjoy some of the sicker elements of IT: Chapter Two, try to remember that Bill Hader will be playing the adult version of Finn Wolfhard’s Richie Tolzier. Unfortunately though, despite Dauberman’s wishes, we won’t be seeing the comedian’s famous impression of Al Pacino.
IT: Chapter Two is scheduled to be released on September 6th.