The Hype Behind a Killer Clown

It’s easy to see why Stephen King’s “IT” will be the most anticipated film in cinematic history. Already, in the short time, the movie has been in cinemas, IT opened to an amazing $186 million in global revenue. Making it the dominant box office crasher since Guardians of the Galaxy 2, and the highest grossing R-rated movie since Deadpool.

Now that begs the question; What made a movie about a killer clown so intriguing? Well, for starters, it is the first official film adaptation of King’s book. Of course, there is the classic made-for-TV mini movie series starring Tim Curry that was released 27 years ago. And there will be hundreds comparing it to the “original,” however, that isn’t what this is.

It would be wrong to call it a remake since IT (2017) will actually be the first full-length feature — exactly what the book deserved. It would also be wrong to dismiss the TV mini series since that was what sparked the love for Pennywise the Dancing Clown in many horror-film junkies. But, it’s harder to get in the better, more R rated scenes on television — not to mention we’re almost 30 years later and special effects have come a long way.

Now, the film has a history almost as long as the book! With directors joining and leaving like a revolving door, it was left to question for a long time whether the film was in motion or not. Let’s not forget the 2016 killer clown prank, which many believed to be a marketing campaign for IT. Yet it wasn’t, and even though we all knew that the idea sparked a new round of excitement for the film anyway. Another cool feature about the release in 2017, is that it is 27 years later than the TV series, as previously mentioned. So, why is that a cool feature? Well, Pennywise is known to come out every 27 years. This brings a new level of immersion to the film, and a layer of reality as well.

Another thing that added to the mass hysteria about the movie was how quiet the crew was. Rarely did anyone post anything on social media – adding to the wonder if anything was getting done. Nothing came out until the official costume shots of the new Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård). Which launched a massive debate about the fresh look, and a new wave of anticipation.

The final thing that was the best part of the release for horror addicts, was the teaser trailers – they didn’t give a lot away. If you are a horror fan then you know the adrenaline of sitting in the theatre, never knowing when something could happen.

Now into the first week of ITs release, it’s easy to see why tickets are sold out, and if you haven’t been to the cinema yet, get there!