Just in case you are a horror flick fan, chances are you have watched at least one of Stephen King’s movies. Or better yet, you’ve read his novels and loved them – and that’s what inspired you to watch his movies. Well, if you know Stephen King’s work, you will be aware of his favorite clown, Pennywise. This is where it comes into the picture. The It Chapter One (2017) is a supernatural horror flick that was based on the book of the same name. Interestingly, this was released as a miniseries back in the 1990s. IT chapter one (2017) was directed by Andy Muschietti and became one of the most successful horror films to date. Let us get an in-depth insight into the cast of IT chapter 1, as horror fans can bring their popcorn along! This is going to be a trip down memory lane!
IT Chapter 1: Movie Overview
| Detail | Information |
| Title | IT Chapter One |
| Release Year | 2017 |
| Director | Andy Muschietti |
| Based On | Novel IT by Stephen King (1986) |
| Genre | Supernatural Horror |
| Runtime | 135 minutes |
| Main Cast | Jaeden Martell, Bill Skarsgård, Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis |
| Pennywise Actor | Bill Skarsgård |
| Setting | Derry, Maine — Summer 1989 |
| Production Company | New Line Cinema / Warner Bros. |
| Budget | ~$35 million |
| Box Office | ~$701 million worldwide |
| Rating | R (USA) |
| Sequel | IT Chapter Two (2019) |
IT Chapter 1 Plot
The story is set in the early 1988s which shows a very rustic and old-school charm setting. The film opens with young Bill Denbrough losing his brother Georgie to the famous Pennywise, the dancing clown in a storm drain. Pennywise is shown as a pale-looking clown with orange hair and odd markings on his face, who ends up biting off Georgie’s arm and dragging inside the sewers.
The next summer, Bill and his friends face issues in their neighbourhood in the form of bullies, but Bill and his club, ‘The Losers Club’ have their own fears. This is because Pennywise has returned and is searching and hunting for kids in the town of Derry in Maine. The group learns about It – as in Pennywise, who wakes every 27 years to feed on children and uses the drain and sewers to move around. This lets It be uncatchable but also unmissable.
The ‘Losers Club’ meets in the Barrens, which is a dump area. It so happens that each kid experiences Pennywise in the form of their worst fear – from lepers, to a fear of blood, and whatnot. Every kid from the Losers’ Club deals with their worst fear manifesting, and Pennywise takes the shape of that fear.
They also use this to track It to an old house on Neilbolt Street and fight back, but it hurts them. Later, they end up saving Beverly from Pennywise as It drags him to the sewers. They make a promise to return as adults if needed. Before leaving, Bill reveals his feelings to Beverly and they end up kissing. The movie sets up for the 2019 sequel IT Chapter 2.
Cast of IT Chapter 1
It Chapter One features a talented young cast who end up being the group of the ‘Losers Club’, and this is led by Bill Skarsgard as the iconic Pennywise. Here’s a list of the main Cast of IT Chapter 1.
The Losers Club
| Actor | Role |
| Jaeden Martell | Bill Denbrough |
| Jeremy Ray Taylor | Ben Hanscom |
| Sophia Lillis | Beverly Marsh |
| Finn Wolfhard | Richie Tozier |
| Chosen Jacobs | Mike Hanlon |
| Jack Dylan Grazer | Eddie Kaspbrak |
| Wyatt Oleff | Stanley Uris |
Jaeden Martell as Bill Denbrough
Jaeden Martell plays the role of Bill Denbrough, the stuttering leader of the ‘Losers’ Club’. This club is driven by grief and loss over his younger brother, Georgie, who died in a gruesome death. In 1988, Bill sees ghostly visions of Georgie, who pushes Bill to hunt the evil behind the kid disappearances. This only increases his speech problems. He leads daring fights at the haunted Neilbolt house. Jaeden’s emotional depth captures Bill’s character and transformation from a broken boy to a fearless hero.
Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise ‘It’
Bill Skarsgard plays Pennywise the Dancing Clown – the ancient shape-shifting entity that feeds on children’s fear every 27 years in Derry. With orange hair, and smeared makeup and jagged teeth – he is every child’s worst nightmare. He lures his victims like Georgie with balloons before revealing his monstrous form.
Pennywise haunts every Loser in a unique way – he feeds and manifests on their worst fears. Bill Skarsgard does a tremendous job in portraying Pennywise.
Jeremy Ray Taylor as Ben Hanscom
Jeremy Ray Taylor portrays the role of Ben Hanscom, the nerdy new kid who likes researching on Derry’s child murders while crushing on Beverly. He is bullied for his weight, and he crafts slingshots. Taylor conveys Ben’s shy smartness and turns that into courage via friendship.
Sophia Lillis as Beverly Marsh
Sophia Lillis takes on the role of Beverly Marsh, the redheaded female who is battling abuse, rumors, and blood fears. She smokes, and is a slingshot, fights her bullies, and It. Sophia blends fierce independence with pain, and she also becomes Bill’s love interest.
Finn Wolfhard as Richie Tozier
Finn Wolfhard plays the role of Richie Tozier, a nerdy young boy who wears glasses. He is a jokester who masks his fear with voices amid mummy hands. He is Bill’s best friend, and he fights at Neilbolt and in the sewers. Finn got famous from his role of Mike in Stranger Things, and so he is a natural actor.
Chosen Jacobs as Mike Hanlon
Chosen Jacobs plays the role of Mike Hanlon, an isolated Black farm teen who likes to film Derry’s history. He gets bullied and then joins ‘The Losers Club’. He shares murder cycles and has endured burning parent visions and much more.
Jack Dylan Grazer as Eddie Kaspbrak
Jack Dylan Grazer embodies the role of Eddie Kaspbrak. As a boy, Eddie uses the inhaler and is a hypochondriac who is scared of lepers and gets such visions. He ends up mistaking cleaner for medicines. He has fears of smothering his mother, and he hugs friends fearfully. Jack ends up perfecting the role of Eddie.
Wyatt Oleff as Stanley Uris
Wyatt plays the role of Stanley Uris, who is the logical bar mitzvah kid. His painting scars his face. This is the crumbling reason that transitions to sobs. He is skeptical at first, and he fights through rituals. Wyatt ends up capturing the hysteria pretty well.
Nicholas Hamilton as Henry Bowers
Nicholas Hamilton leads as Henry Bowers, who is the knife bully who ends up being twisted by his father and also by it. He ends up terrorizing the Losers before killing his father and well-falling. His rage amplifies the human horror.
Jackson Robert Scott as Georgie Denbrough
Jackson Robert Scott plays the role of Georgie Denbrough. He is in a cameo role and his rainy boat chase ends up catastrophic for him. Soon enough, he is lured by Pennywise who then bites him in the arm.
IT Chapter 1 Budget and Box Office Collection
Andy Muschietti directed It Chapter One and this was adapted from Stephen King’s novel after Cary Fukunaga exited. The production was under ‘New Line Cinema,’ and it was produced with a $35 million budget. This was filmed in 2016 across Toronto, standing in Derry, Maine. The movie was released on 8th September 2017, and it had its sequel set up already after the first movie.
It Chapter 1 managed to do pretty well at the box office. It grossed around $701 million worldwide against a budget of 35 million. This was the highest-grossing horror film until 2023. The film opened to $123 million domestically which shattered records. There was a strong word of mouth that led to high international marketing. This added an additional $358 million.
Critical Reception
The movie was praised and the rating stands at 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. The critics lauded Andy’s direction, and of course, they loved Bill Skarsgard’s acting as Pennywise and the rest of the cast of it chapter 1. They also loved the young cast’s bonds and jump scares. This balanced the kid adventure theme with an R-rated gore. The movie thus has an A-CinemaScore. The movie got nominated for Saturn Awards and it actually even boosted Stephen King’s success.
Conclusion
It Chapter One (2017) is a Supernatural Horror movie. It was a masterpiece that was penned down by Stephen King and the success of the film highlights King’s mastery. The movie’s main essence is captured beautifully by Bill Skarsgard as the infamous Pennywise Clown. The young cast of it chapter 1, The Loser Club, turn out to be the true backbone of the film, and they anchor it through. This goes to show that horror as a genre is very much alive, and it has a set of niche fans. It Chapter One became one of the biggest grossers in the genre. This also set the pace and set up the base for the second movie, which was released in 2019 film ‘It Chapter Two’.
FAQs
A1. The film has a runtime of around 135 minutes.
A2. Bill Skarsgard plays the role of Pennywise – The Dancing Clown. He abducts children and then kills them.
A3. Yes, the film was declared a major hit and is actually considered a blockbuster.
A4. Yes, the sequel to the first part is called ‘It Chapter Two,’ and it was released on 6th September 2019.
Also Read: Domenica Montero Series: Plot, Cast, Episodes, Budget, Release Date and Review
