It, the Stephen King adaptation that has become the highest-grossing horror film of all time, has officially announced the release date for its long-expected sequel: September 6th, 2019.
Screenwriter Gary Dauberman will also work on the sequel, while director Andy Muschietti is also in talks to return for Its second installment, The Hollywood Reporter writes.
This past weekend, It surpassed The Exorcist to become the highest-grossing (inflation-unadjusted) horror film of all time, with the movie earning $266 million at the U.S. box office and $478 million worldwide in just three weeks of release.
While the sequel was not formally announced when It arrived earlier this month, it was long expected that like Kings novel the film would be split across two parts, with the first half focusing on the main characters as children before the action jumps decades to the now-grownup Losers Club returning to Derry, Maine to battle Pennywise the Clown.
As the Hollywood Reporter notes, the sequel will likely feature newly filmed flashbacks, allowing the teenaged actors in the first half to reprise their roles. No casting decisions have been made for the actors older counterparts in the sequel other than Bill Skarsgrd, who will return to the role of Pennywise.
Skarsgrd recently spoke to Rolling Stone about portraying one of the most terrifying characters in the Stephen King canon and how he managed to make sure his co-stars were scared of Pennywise.
I didnt hang out with them personally at all, Skarsgrd said. So they didnt really know who I was, and they hadnt seen the makeup or the clown, until the first day of shooting with them. It was one of those really excited/fear reactions from their part. But it was fun, and the kids were little professionals.
At the time of Rolling Stones interview, Skarsgrd didnt know for sure whether It would receive the green light for the sequel.