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Cary Fukunaga Making Stephen King's Clown Horror 'It' as Two Films

by Alex Billington
June 7, 2012
Source: Heat Vision

It and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1? This may actually be very good news. THR's Heat Vision is reporting news that Warner Bros has hired filmmaker-on-the-rise Cary Fukunaga, of Sin Nombre and Jane Eyre, to direct their new adaptation of Stephen King's It, about the clown Pennywise. But the best part of the news is that apparently Fukunaga will be developing the adaptation of King's novel into two films, working with Roy Lee and Dan Lin to produce. We've been hearing about this new "remake", or re-adaptation, for quite a while, but this is the first major development news in a few years. And I like where they're headed. Read on!

The original Stephen King novel is very long, and many have criticized that even the TV mini-series in 1990 left out a lot of material. It sounds like this is Warner Bros, Fukunaga and the production realizing the best course of action will be to take it into two films. Which is a very bold and somewhat risky move, but if they keep this up, it may pay off for them. Fukunaga will co-write the script with Chase Palmer, of Neo-Noir and the unproduced Dune. Roy Lee & Dan Lin are producing It, as are Seth Grahame-Smith & David Katzenberg of KatzSmith Production. No specific details are mentioned regarding the two-film split, but the way it reads it sounds like one may be focused on the children, the other one as they're adults when Pennywise returns.

This new It adaptation is still a Warner Bros production, and THR even said: "Warners picked up the rights in 2009 and originally intended to adapt it into a single movie." Glad to see that enough pressure has been put on them to make sure it's adapted the right way, and it sounds like that will be with two movies at least. A previous screenwriter claimed in 2009 that this project "will be R" - let's hope that stays true, too. We'll keep an eye on this and let you know when we hear any updates. Do two films seem like a good idea?

Filed under Development, Discuss, Movie News

From around the web:

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000582616424 Daniel 'Ranger Danger' Felts

Keep Tim Curry as Pennywise, and i wont care how many films
- BeepBeepRichie
  
  I know. He still owns the most haunting performance of any clown in film; sorry, Heath. That said, here is my alternate list (all great character actors): 1. Richard Jenkins 2. Gary Oldman 3. John Malkovich
BeepBeepRichie

Thank you for posting this Alex Billington! And thank you WB for not only making this into two films, but for respecting Mr. King's material and making it "R." *Edit: Wait...I just saw Seth Graham-Smith's name. Keep him the FUCK away from the script! His first two novels are steaming piles.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1523381468 Jon Chamberlain

Here in the UK, The TV adaptation with Tim Curry (They really should keep him in the films) was shown as two films. Just as the proposed idea with this remake, the first film was about the children and the second about the adults. I remember being a child when I first watched those films. They scared the living hell out of me.
grimjob

please bring back Tim Curry...please bring back Tim Curry...please bring back Tim Curry...
SuicidalOptimist

Gah, this is not gonna help me with my clown and balloon phobia at all! The TV adaptation with Tim Curry scared me to death back then, especially since I was only 12 or 13 when I watched it at a friend's house and had to ride my bike back home in the dark. I'm pretty sure I beat an olympic speed record that night, haha. I must have read the book approximately 20 times or more, and imagining all its horrors being brought back to the big screen with today's SFX/CGI gives me nightmares already. I really, really hope Tim Curry will reprise his role as Pennywise despite having aged a bunch. He just has a naturally devious and unsettling smile and I can't imagine anybody else in that role. If they actually stick to an R rating this could turn out amazing. Amazingly terrifying.
Cjwarrior27

WOW!! Bout time we see Pennywise get the big screen push he deserves!!! As for the two part split, I think it's GREAT. More will be told and I see this being scarier than the TV mini. Just when we thought it wasn't possible
Thexn

Tim Curry is the reason I punch clowns and flee now. Damn his eerily creepy portrayal of a truly horrifying character. "They ALL float down here! When you're down here with us, you'll float too!" Man, I need a clown to punch...
BinaryChaos

As much as I'd like to see Tim Curry reprise the role I think giving someone else a chance at the clown would be a good idea. I mean this is the same argument we had about Jack Nicholson and that no one would fit into the Joker shoes better than him and well someone made his version of the Joker look like a joke. Good job, Heath.
- grimjob
  
  Whooaa, easy big fella. Heath's Joker was amazing, no doubt. But completely different. Nicholson's Joker was the shit! So many great quotes came from him. Can't even compare the two, imo, completely different takes. Please don't call him a joke, I love him too much. But damn Heath was awesome! All I can think when I see anything TDKR is what could have been.
  - BinaryChaos
    
    Lol, I meant no offense to Jack's Joker but you can't help but notice that Heath's Joker is a more plausible character and makes Jack's Joker look campy in comparison. I'm sure when Batman came out people were making a lot of comparisons with the Joker from the tv show and thought Jack really brought something to the table in which he did to inspire a more gritty performance from Heath. I loved the one liners from Jack as well to the point I found myself throwing those lines at people in which they got a good laugh from. All I'm saying though you never know what the next person can bring to these iconic characters so why not give others a chance.
    - grimjob
      
      Completely agree. Good talk.
http://twitter.com/davide_coppola Davide Coppola

Cool! I really liked Jane Eyre, I think he's perfect for this! Also Tim Curry was good as Pennywise, but I think we can do better.
mooreworthy

Good ol nightmare fuel that is.
Nielsen700

I've actually never seen It, but it looks stupid as hell.
- Moutchy
  
  The TV mini-serie wasn't really great, especially that I watched it after reading the book, which was excellent! But if they make this one more faithful to the book and don't tone it down, it could be really great!
- grimjob
  
  Yeah, it was pretty cheesy. Still love it, but parts are actually hard to watch. Especially the end. The end is just fucking retarded. However, Tim Curry makes it all worth it.
HunterDuke

I'm basing my picks for the new notorious clown on who could pull off being the scariest in just makeup and circus getup: 1. Sam Hazeldine, dude has the creepiest smile imaginable. ONLY reason to watch The Raven. 2. Michael Sheen, giant head, natural "I wonder how your skin would taste" look. (ex. http://www.imdb.com/media/rm990743040/nm0790688) 3. Jim Carrey... just because he's already gone crazy. Throwing on face paint and eating kids shouldn't be a stretch.
- BinaryChaos
  
  I think Jim Carrey is too nutty to play this character. He is only good for playing a character that just runs around aimlessly for no reason to the point you want to throw a shoe at him to make him stop. I don't want another Riddler performance. What would be a stretch and interesting is to see Tom Cruise play this character. He was excellent as Les Grossman so he definitely knows how to get into character and playing a complete goofball with a strong presence.
CrimsonAvenger

That's because your friends mom is a stripper
GlossGreen

The mini-series did pretty well, considering that is was constrained by the need to tone down the material for a broadcast TV audience. Seeing this made into two R rated movies is definitely a step in the right direction. And I love Tim Curry, but he's a bit old to play the supremely menacing Pennywise.
- grimjob
  
  I think he could still do it. With all that makeup, I don't think age would be an issue.
Comegetsome2005_69

Yes! two films is wicked! i love the book and hav just finished reading it, stephen king is a brilliant author and the 1980 film i dont feel did the book justice..alot of bits were missed out and wtf is with the spider at the end?! that bit was utterly ridiculous and could have been done loads better! so i hope this film gets made and is a proper hit! :):)
Shorty123

I never watched "It" but, I heard good things about Mr. Curry as Pennywise. I think the movie would be missing something without him in it. He even said he thought it was a good story just when they brought in a different director in the middle it messed the story up. In my opinion that would offer a do over for Mr. Curry that is if he wants to do it.
http://twitter.com/naptownheroes naptownfan

I have a few plausible actors who could pull off Pennywise. 1. First and foremost, yes Tim Curry could absolutely come back to play Pennywise again, but I doubt he will. 2. Brad Dourif. This guy is phenomenal at playing villains, just watch his portrayal of The Gemini Killer in The Exorcist III. 3. Gary Oldman. He is "old" but he is one of those guys with "man of 1000 faces" syndrome, he could potentially play anyone. 4. Paul Giamatti. Honestly, I really think he could pull it off very well.
http://www.facebook.com/dana.fabing Dana Fabing

tim curry needs to remain as pennywise, it is because of him that gave us the feel and fear of pennywise...he did it for tv so now let him do it for the big screen, we owe it to him by far...but stephen king must b brought into this also for it is because of him that we even got this film...please consider..we dont need new people to play pennywise, we wont look at him the same, jus think about it....our generation that grew up fearing this guy deserves this lol...iv been waitin for this to hit the big screen since i first saw it in 1993...im excited to hear this news and cant wait lol