According to a new report, Jessica Chastain is set to star in the upcoming IT sequel as the adult version of Beverly. After months of speculation, her casting had almost become an inevitability. Rumors of Chastain's involvement with IT: Chapter Two date all the way back to last July, roughly a month and a half before the IT reboot even hit theaters. Actress Sophia Lillis, who plays Beverly Marsh in IT, was asked who she'd like to see play the adult version of her character in the sequel, and she quickly responded with Chastain.

The rumor mill picked up steam again once it became clear that IT was going to be a massive success. Bringing in an eye-popping $700 million at the global box office on top of rave reviews, Pennywise and the Losers Club quickly became the talk of the town. As attention turned to the sequel, which picks up nearly thirty years after the first film, director Andy Muschietti admitted that Chastain would be an ideal choice to play Beverly, and the actress herself later revealed that she'd love to sign on.

Related: Jessica Chastain Definitely Wants to Join the IT Sequel

As Warner Bros. has its sights set on a September 2019 release date for Chapter Twofilming on the sequel is set to begin this summer. The casting choices for the adult Losers Club should be firmed up in the coming months, and according to Variety, it looks like Chastain will be the first to sign on the dotted line. Variety's sources stress that negotiations between Warner Bros. and the actress are still in the early stages, but with the director, the studio, and the star all keen on coming to an agreement, this one's looking like a lock.

Sophia Lillis and Jessica Chastian IT

The report also gives us a good idea of how far along IT: Chapter Two is in the development process. Variety states that the script is still a work in progress, and that director Andy Muschietti hasn't actually officially signed on to return to the helm. Bill Skarsgård, who played Pennywise in the first film, is also expected to return.

Muschietti and Chastain previously teamed up on the 2013 horror hit Mama, and with all parties eager to come together on a collaboration, IT 2 is off to a great start. Do you agree with Chastain's casting, or did you have another actress in mind to play Beverly? What actors do you want to see round out the rest of the adult Loser's Club? Sound off in the comments.

Next: IT Chapter 2 -Actors Who Should Play The Adult Losers In The Sequel

Source: Variety

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