Warner Bros has released a featurette for their new take on Stephen King’s classic novel IT, which introduces the heroes of the story: The Losers’ Club. While Pennywise the Dancing Clown may be the most iconic character from IT, the story is really about a group of friends who manage to overcome their own fears to take down the evil force stalking their town.

Stephen King is no stranger to this type of tale and has returned to the themes of childhood friendships, traumas and loss of innocence many times. Probably the most famous example would be The Body, his short novella that was later adapted into the classic coming of age film Stand By Me. This was also a major element of his alien invasion novel Dreamcatcher - though the subsequent movie adaptation didn’t quite turn into a classic.

Related: The Worst Stephen King Adaptations, Ranked

The author, alongside the cast and crew of IT, are keen to underline the themes of friendship in this new video feature, which explores the seven members of The Losers’ Club. These kids are all outsiders in their home town for one reason or another, and end up having to rely on each other when Pennywise starts preying on the town’s children. Their belief makes them the only ones who can confront the monster, because as the author himself explains:

“Kids have a wider perspective. They see more, they hear more, they notice more. And in IT I wanted to create characters who still believe everything children believe, and yet not. These kids no longer believe in Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy, but then, when the lights are out, they’re still afraid there’s something under the bed.”

The video shows various clips from the IT movie that highlights the chemistry of the young cast, whose performances are the key to making the story work. Early reviews have already showered praise on their work, with the ensemble - which includes Stranger Things Finn Wolfhard - being tipped for future stardom. Bill Skarsgard's performance as Pennywise is also receiving high praise and is being compared favorably to Tim Curry's iconic turn from the 1990 IT TV miniseries.

While the planned sequel to IT hasn’t been totally confirmed yet, it seems a foregone conclusion at this stage. Ever since the first IT trailer broke viewing records, anticipation for this film has been sky high - and ITThursday night opening has already set records for an R-rated movie. Hopefully, the success of IT will lead to a resurgence of studio horror movies that aren’t afraid to push the boat out a little.

NEXT: Where Do You Know the Cast of IT From?

Source: Warner Bros. Pictures

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