The 1990 TV miniseries It - based on Stephen King's novel of the same name - is still remembered for its eerie tone and the memorable performance by Tim Curry as the demonic clown Pennywise. However, despite the source material's continued popularity, New Line has run into complications in developing its new big screen take on King's horror story.
True Detective season one and Jane Eyre (2011) director Cary Fukunaga has been involved as both a writer and director on the project for years, but he dropped out over creative differences back in May 2015. Now we have word on who may be in line to replace him, and certain horror fans should be pleased with the news.
THR is reporting that Andy Muschietti - the filmmaker behind the 2013 supernatural horror film Mama - is in negotiations to direct the new It. One of the reasons Fukunaga reportedly left the project was the budget, but seeing as Muschietti's last film cost only $15 million to produce, it's likely he'll be able to meet the studio's demands in that respect. Once his deal is finalized, New Line will proceed with a search for a new screenwriter to revise the previous script draft (penned by Fukunaga and his writing partner, Chase Palmer) to suit this latest creative shift.
Here's a brief description of King's source book (via Amazon):
It’s a small city, a place as hauntingly familiar as your own hometown. Only in Derry the haunting is real... They were seven teenagers when they first stumbled upon the horror. Now they are grown-up men and women who have gone out into the big world to gain success and happiness. But none of them can withstand the force that has drawn them back to Derry to face the nightmare without an end, and the evil without a name.
At this point, it's still unclear if Will Poulter shall remain onboard as the new Pennywise, though the plan for the It film adaptation to be a two-parter is still in place. The project was originally scheduled to begin filming by Summer 2015, so because Poulter is no longer officially attached to the role a scheduling issue may arise. Of course, Muschietti may simply opt to cast someone else in the role, too (Curry's floppy clown shoes will be hard for any actor to fill, after all).
In any case, Muschietti reads as a smart choice to direct the project. After all, Mama was a box office hit - with a $146 million worldwide gross - and featured strong performances throughout. Plus, both Mama and It share thematic ties in that they both deal with traumatized children and malevolent, mysterious supernatural creatures.
Muschietti was previously attached to direct a reboot of The Mummy franchise for Universal, but it seems this particular Stephen King adaptation could be his next big move, instead. Does his potential involvement sound good to you?
Stay tuned to Screen Rant for further updates on the It movie adaptation.
Source: THR