IT – Synopsis
Pennywise is a demonic entity that awakens every 27 years to prey on the children of Derry, Maine. Strategically positioned as a coming-of-age novel, Stephen King’s It represents the internal turmoil experienced by pre-teens with life-or-death or purely otherworldly battles.
Blending pure artistry with haunting images, Andy Muschietti’s It is arguably one of the best adaptations of King’s novel. It contains everything—from distressing filmography, suffocating claustrophobia, nightmarish deaths, and underwater sequences that ravage the psyche.
The child adventurers showcase a deeply moving reality of kids who were ridiculed and ostracized, relatable to the readers living in suburbia alongside their fear of isolation.
It emerged as a box office and critically adored hit.
Plot Summary
Set in the fictional town of Derry, Maine during the summer of ’89, a chilling spree of children going mysteriously missing is sweeping the town. The story begins with Georgie Denbrough’s tragic case which sparks his older brother Bill’s overwhelming obsession with uncovering the truth behind his brother’s disappearance. Along with Bill and his group of friends who are all social outcasts, Richie, Beverly, Ben, Eddie, Mike, and Stanley, they come together to form a club known as “The Losers’ Club”.
While conducting their own investigation, the children hear startling dreams linked to their innermost phobias. This is caused by none other than Derry’s infamous living nightmare, ‘Pennywise’, a malevolent creature that takes on the form of a clown and can transform into whatever its prey fears most. To really get a grasp of the situation, the creature must be faced and fought with which pushes the children to come together for a fierce showdown against this inhuman entity within the terrifying sewers of Derry.
Main Cast
- Jaeden Lieberher portraying Bill Denbrough
- Bill Skarsgård featuring as Pennywise the Dancing Clown
- Sophia Lillis in the role of Beverly Marsh
- Finn Wolfhard taking on the role of Richie Tozier
- Jack Dylan Grazer as Eddie Kaspbrak
- Chosen Jacobs portraying Mike Hanlon
- Jeremy Ray Taylor featuring as Ben Hanscom
- Wyatt Oleff in the role of Stanley Uris
- Nicholas Hamilton portraying Henry Bowers
- Jackson Robert Scott portraying Georgie Denbrough
Production Details
- Director: Andy Muschietti
- Writers: Chase Palmer, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Gary Dauberman
- Music Composer: Benjamin Wallfisch
- Cinematography: Chung-hoon Chung
- Runtime: 135 minutes
- Language: English
- Budget: Estimated $35–40 million
- Worldwide Gross: Over $704 million
- Production Studios: New Line Cinema, Vertigo Entertainment, Lin Pictures, KatzSmith Productions
- Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Critical Reception
It (2017) received critical acclaim for its balance of heart and horror. Reviewers praised the chemistry of young actors, the grounded emotionality of the script, and Skarsgård’s unsettling performance as Pennywise. In general, it stood out as one of the better adaptations of Stephen King’s works.
The audience response was not any different, this being marked the highest grossing horror film of all time (not adjusted for inflation) It renewed interest in King’s stories and initiated a new wave of nostalgia-driven horror films in America.
Achievements
Bram Stoker Awards: Best Screenplay nomination
Bogey Award (Germany): Best Screenplay nomination
Saturn Awards: Nominations for Best Horror Film, Best Supporting Actor (Bill Skarsgård), Best Younger Actor (Sophia Lillis)
Teen Choice Awards: Nominated for Choice Movie Villain
Clio Awards: Recognized for its theatrical teaser campaign
Legacy
The film It (2017) stands as a milestone in modern horror cinema for its box office success and for capturing childhood fear and trauma. Its blend of humor, horror, and heart brought Stephen King’s timeless story to a modern audience.
The film’s achievements resulted in a sequel, It Chapter Two (2019), which shifts into the characters’ adulthood. The two-part saga has cemented It as a contemporary horror classic.
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