Andy Muschietti’s successful IT saga hit theaters for the first time in 2017 and again in 2019; while there's been no movement toward making a third movie, a prequel could improve on both of Muschietti's original installments. Adapted from Stephen King’s 1986 novel of the same name, the film follows a group of six friends known as the “Losers Club” plagued by a shapeshifting clown known as Pennywise. While the first two films delve deep into the backstories of each of the losers, the series lacks the intricate history of Pennywise and the Macroverse.
IT: Chapter One details the aftermath of George Denbrough’s tragic demise at the hands of Pennywise. His brother Bill (Jaeden Lieberher) and his club of losers comprised of Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis), Stanley Uris (Wyatt Oleff), Ben Hanscom (Jeremy Ray Taylor), Richie Tozier (Finn Wolfhard), Mike Hanlon (Chosen Jackson), and Eddie Kaspbrak (Jack Dylan Grazer) must face the shapeshifting clown to save themselves and their town. The film culminates to a battle in the sewers and Pennywise the clown (Bill Skarsgård) going back into the depths of the town to hibernate for the next 27 years.
As adults, the Losers are called back to Derry, Maine by Mike Hanlon in IT: Chapter Two. Each of the characters travel throughout the town and recover lost memories that were repressed after they all fled. The more they uncover, the closer they get to figure out how to defeat Pennywise with the Ritual of Chüd. Despite their best efforts, the ritual is unsuccessful and they must use Pennywise’s weaknesses and fears against him. In the end, they defeat the shapeshifting clown. While the two films provide enough terror to last a lifetime, they do not include the integral history of how Pennywise came to be.
Why An IT Prequel Could Be Better Than Chapter 1 & 2
After the release of the second film, Andy Muschietti openly discussed the potential for a third installment in the franchise, though there has been no confirmation as to whether or not it will occur. If it does happen, the third IT installment should be a prequel that details the history of Pennywise, the turtle, the deadlights, and the Macroverse. These elements were integral to the plot of King’s approximately one-thousand page novel. By including them, a prequel film could be substantially better that the first chapters, or could at least strengthen them by giving more background, since that information is available in the book.
Without the turtle named Maturin, Derry, Maine would not exist. As the myth goes, when the ancient being was sick with a bellyache, he threw up the entire universe and created Derry. He and the town are only a portion of the Macroverse in King lore, as The Dark Tower (2017) series is also a part of it. By creating a prequel film, it would offer the opportunity to explore the origins of Pennywise and his mysterious deadlights that seem to hypnotize anyone who sees them.
The first film focused on the Losers Club as children who fought a creature hell-bent on consuming children and their fear. IT: Chapter Two showcased how these friends came together to finally defeat the evil Pennywise. Due to these installments focusing on one specific instance of King's lengthy novel, a prequel would be a necessary addition to the franchise. As of this writing, there is no news on whether there will be a third IT film, but if there is, a prequel could benefit the series in ways any other method could not.