The sequel has floated to theatres and has impressed critics and audience. While some say the sequel was flawed and too long, others say that it provides a satisfying conclusion along with a satisfying emotional weight with it, along with the faithfulness to the book. The film has so far made over $386.1 million worldwide and may keep floating at the box office. Here are 5 facts about the film that you might not know.
1. The Younger Losers Club were Digitally De-Aged.
IT Chapter 2 takes players 27 years after the events of IT. The Losers Club are leading their own lives, but they got a call from Mike Hanlon, asking them to return after IT starts to kill people again. While the majority of the film features mostly the adults, there are flashbacks on the younger Losers.
Because the actors who portray the younger Losers grew considerably from the events of the first film, CGI de-aging was used to make them look younger. Finn Wolfhard in particular who portrayed Richie in the first IT, had considerable CGI used because he hit growth spurt. His face was softened and eyes widened, giving a weird (and scary) look audiences have said. This marked the first time CGI technology was used to de-aged people in a horror film.
2. Bill Hader stole The Show
Bill Hader’s performance as older Richie was singled out as the best performance of The Losers Club. His performance, according to critics and audience stole the show by his twist, levity, and chemistry between him and Eddie.
What is interesting is that IT Chapter 2 is his first horror movie role. It was at first hard for him to get scared, as he would nervously smile (which is why there was quite a lot of levity).
3. Jay Ryan was a Clown
Jay Ryan, who portrayed older Ben was one of the things that impressed audiences. Younger Ben was fat, and older Ben is now fit, handsome and an architect. Before his career as an actor took off, Jay Ryan used to work as a clown! That’s some method acting, except Pennywise the clown is terrifying him now.
4. The woman who played Eddie’s wife is the same actor who played his mom
From the first IT, we know that Eddie’s mom Sonia is overweight, overprotective, and overcontrolling of Eddie to the point of being creepy. She too is a hypochondriac, which she passed on to Eddie. In IT Chapter 2, Eddie is a risk assessor in New York City who is married to Myra who is very similar to this mother: oversized, overprotective and controls him by Munchausen by proxy syndrome. Practically he’s married to his mom.
What is surprising about this is that Myra is the same actor who portrayed his mom. This is faithful to the book, where he marries a woman who is very similar to his mother. What is more terrifying that in the book, Myra looks very much like his mom!
5.The Running Joke
In the film, James McAvoy plays older Bill who is a successful book writer whose books have been adapted into films. He also writes the screenplay. However, he often gets criticized for the unsatisfying endings, and slammed by Stephen King who makes a cameo “I hated the ending”, he said refusing Bill’s autograph.
The “I hated the ending” is a running joke from Stephen King’s books who often gets criticized for the endings of his works, including his critically acclaimed novels as ”terrible and unsatisfying”. This meta-joke became a running gag, throughout, with Bill’s wife who plays in his adaptation The Attic roasting the ending, and the cameraman lying that he liked the ending.
Header Source: Refinery 29, CNET, Twitter
