Following the release of the It: Chapter Two trailer, screenwriter Gary Dauberman spoke to the Hollywood Reporter about what to expect in the sequel to the highest-grossing horror movie of all-time. He mentioned two scenes, in particular, that are harrowing in a different way than an evil clown terrorizing kids. In Stephen King’s novel that the film is based on, a young gay man named Adrian Mellon is beaten by a group of homophobic teens; after being thrown off a bridge, he’s then murdered by Pennywise. The hate crime was left out of the 1990 miniseries, but it’s “an iconic scene in the book and one we wanted to include in the movie,” Dauberman explained:
“It is the first attack in present-day Derry and sets the stage for what Derry has become. It is the influence of Pennywise even while he is hibernating, and it’s pure evil what happens to Adrian. These bullies working through Pennywise was important for us to show… We try to be true to the novel.”
Dauberman also revealed that adult Beverly, played by Jessica Chastain, will be a victim of domestic violence, like in the book (her arms are bruised in the trailer). Between the hate crime, the abuse, and the infamous Ritual of Chüd, Chapter Two sounds like a tough film to watch, but the screenwriter is quick to note that “fans of the first film will be pleased… The two movies feel like a complete whole. This feels like a natural progression and extension of the first.”
It: Chapter Two floats your way on September 6.
(Via Hollywood Reporter)
