Update on R-Rated Adaptation of Stephen King's IT

It is a film production I was very excited about when True Detective helmer Cary Fukunaga was developing it. Everything he said about what he was doing with the film was exactly what I wanted to see. It seemed like he had a solid handle on it but ended up leaving the project due to creative differences with the studio. You can read about his vision for the project here.

He was eventually replaced by Mama director Andy Muscietti. I’m not really the biggest fan of his work so my excitement for the project kind of died off. I was hoping that he and the studio would at least use the script that Fukunaga developed with Chase Palmer, but according to producer Roy Lee, that script has been rewritten. During a recent interview with Collider, Lee said:

“It will hopefully be shooting later this year. We just got the California tax credit… Gary Doberman wrote the most recent draft working with Andy Muscetti, so it’s being envisioned as two movies.”

It seems like the plan from the very beginning was to have this story told throughout the course of two films, and I’m happy they are still sticking with that. I’m also happy that they will be sticking with the R-rating. At least, that’s what Lee is promising. The producer goes on to say:

“It is very close to the source material in one way but very different if you look at it as a literary piece of work… We’re taking it and making the movie from the point of view of the kids, and then making another movie from the point of view of the adults, that could potentially then be cut together like the novel. But it’s gonna be a really fun way of making this movie.”

That’s the same plan that Fukunaga had so it's good to see they are sticking with that as well. The new script is still in the final stages of development, and Lee explains they are working on ways to keep the budget down.

“We are very close to turning in the final draft of the script. It’s mainly working on it for budgeting purposes to make it fit within the budget that we have.”

It is one of my all-time favorite King books, and I’ve had high hopes for this one. Who knows, though, maybe Muscietti will surprise me with something amazing. I’m curious to see how he handles the source material. 

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