It is already a record-breaking success — more people watched the trailer on YouTube in its first 24 hours of release than any movie ever — and it’s about to be a financial one, too. Based on Stephen King’s iconic horror novel of the same name, Andy Muschietti’s creepy clown movie was originally estimated to make $60 million this weekend, which would not only be the “biggest-ever opening for a movie released in September,” but also set a new watermark for R-rated, non-sequel horror films (the current record is held by James Wan’s The Conjuring with $41.8 million). But It‘s box office projection is now closer to $70 million, thanks to a wave of extremely positive first impressions.
It, which is causing real-life chaos, screened for clown-fearing critics and non-critics alike on Tuesday evening, and it’s already sporting a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. We’ll have our review for the film later this week, but for now, let’s float over to Twitter to see what people are saying about the worst thing to happen to those with “coulrophobia” since, well, American Horror Story: Cult.
Saying it again, now that I know the embargo's definitely up: #ITMovie is one of the all-time best Stephen King adaptations. I loved it.
— Wampler™ (@ScottWamplerRIP) September 6, 2017
Best pure horror movie of 2017. @ITMovieOfficial is a masterpiece. Check it out (& spoiler free)!! #ITMovie https://t.co/SkIvMzD5XN
— Heatherface Wixson (@thehorrorchick) September 6, 2017
#ItMovie was sooooo good. Best Stephen King movie adaptation in almost 2 decades. Now bummed we're going to have to wait to see Chapter 2
— /Film (@slashfilm) September 6, 2017
You guys. #ItMovie is GOOOOOOOOOOOD.
— Trace Thurman (@TracedThurman) September 6, 2017
Why'd y'all have to go and hype #ITMovie up so much?! I hate when other people are right. I'd float forever if IT just kept replaying.
— Matt Donato (@DoNatoBomb) September 6, 2017
#ItMovie was sooooo good. Best Stephen King movie adaptation in almost 2 decades. Now bummed we're going to have to wait to see Chapter 2
— /Film (@slashfilm) September 6, 2017
Well, I guess the embargo on #ITMovie is up now, so I can talk about the early screening I just saw.
*deep breath*
OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD
— Quinn Bailey (@qjtbailey) September 6, 2017
IT: for a movie that doesn't contain any scenes of tweens running a train on a girl in the sewer, this was kinda great!
— Charles Bramesco (@intothecrevasse) September 6, 2017
#itmovie was amazing!!!!!! Not as scary as I thought it would be, but so satisfying.
— robobarbie (@robo_barbie) September 6, 2017
https://twitter.com/allyjellybelly/status/905301948433399808
#itmovie is top-notch. Smart, charming, and scary as hell. Spielberg-style nostalgia with a very modern horror sentiment.
— Meg Cherry Is On BluSky Now! 💣🌸🏳️⚧️🏩 (@MeghanCherry25) September 6, 2017
#ItMovie was fantastic. Not just scary but traumatizing.
Takes a lot of Stranger Things cues (including an actor) but it works so well.
— Jason L (@Shoelander) September 6, 2017
It’s a good thing It (“it” vs It will never not be confusing) is going to be so popular because, as Variety points out, “domestic ticket sales [are] the lowest they’ve been in more than a decade… Stocks of the country’s major theater circuits — AMC, Regal Entertainment, Cinemark, and Imax — have been getting pummeled. Summer box office, which ended on Labor Day, was down more than 20% from 2016, and year-to-date revenue is off 6%.” A summer of failed franchises and tired sequels is (almost) scarier than any clown.
