With production on It well under way, we have been seeing more and more promotional material come our way. And today we have a pretty big reveal to share with you: We have your first full on shot of Bill Skarsgård in full makeup and wardrobe as Pennywise. It’s certainly a major departure from Tim Curry’s Pennywise but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. If you want a rehash of the miniseries, you can just watch that again.
This incarnation of the character is more Victorian in nature and much less in line with what you likely think of when you conjure the image of a clown, today. You can check out the image (courtesy of EW) for yourself, below.
The woman responsible for the new look is esteemed, Emmy-winning costume designer Janie Bryant (Mad Men). She was on hand to offer EW some insight on the design of the getup. “That pleating is actually Fortuny pleating, which gives it almost a crepe-like effect,” Bryant said to the outlet, regarding Pennywise’s collar. “It’s a different technique than what the Elizabethans would do. It’s more organic, it’s more sheer. It has a whimsical, floppy quality to it. It’s not a direct translation of a ruff or a whisk, which were two of the collars popular during the Elizabethan period.”
In addition to Skarsgård, the film will also star Finn Wolfhard, Jaeden Lieberher, Jack Dylan Grazer, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs, Sophia Lillis, and Jeremy Ray Taylor.
In a recent chat with EW, Skarsgard shed some light on what we can expect from his turn as Pennywise. “It’s such an extreme character,” he said. “Inhumane. It’s beyond even a sociopath, because he’s not even human. He’s not even a clown. I’m playing just one of the beings It creates.”
What we know thus far is that the project is shooting between now and September 6th in Ontario, Canada. We also know that the producers are targeting an R-rating. The creative team says that their intent is to stay as close to the source material as possible. We previously reported that the California Tax Credit would be utilized by the production. So, while the bulk of the project will lens in Canada, we expect that at least part of the picture will shoot in CA.
Original director Cary Fukunaga reportedly departed the remake over budgetary disagreements with the studio. Andrés ‘Andy’ Muschietti (Mama) was later tapped to helm the adaptation of the Stephen King tome. Like the miniseries, it is expected to be split into two parts. Gary Dauberman wrote the most recent draft of the script with Muschietti. The film is targeting a September 8, 2017 release date.
The 1991 television miniseries and the forthcoming remake are both based on the Stephen King book of the same name. No additional details on the upcoming project are available at this time but stay tuned to the site in the coming months and we will keep you apprised as more news is announced.
