Fans of the forthcoming Andy Muschietti It movies likely know by now that the role of Pennywise the clown has gone to Bill Skarsgard. While the Simple Simon star will be portraying the creepy creature in the two-part adaptation of the Stephen King novels, you may not know who was also in the running to play the iconic villain.
Director Andy Muschietti nearly went in an entirely different direction and cast The Matrix star Hugo Weaving as Pennywise the clown. Considering that Weaving is nearly 30 years older than Skarsgard, this would have brought an entirely new dynamic to the creepy clown.
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Lloyd Pagett, a source allegedly close to the production of the film, gave a statement to the unofficial Stephen King’s It Remake Facebook page regarding Weaving’s audition. Apparently it was totally scary!
“People are gonna be surprised by the amount of charisma and twisted humor Bill [Skarsgard] is bringing to the table,” Pagett said. “Hugo’s take was plain creepy, and though effective it didn’t have much more to offer. Tim Curry’s take while fun was kind of stiff because of the limits they had on television, but this film is not going to let up. It will be a HARD R, giving Pennywise’s character a whole new level of messed up.”
The news was reported by the Instagram page @ItTheMOvies.
ItTheMovies posted a photo of Weaving on Instagram with the caption: “#FUN FACT Hugo Weaving and Bill Skarsgard were the two finalists for the role of Pennywise. We all know by now hwo won. #stephenking #newlinecinema #pennywise #itthemovie #it #andymuschietti #itmovie #itpart1.”
The cast includes Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise, Javier Botet as The Leper, Jaeden Lieberher as Bill Denbrough, Jeremy Ray Taylor as Ben Hanscom, Sophia Lillis as Beverly Marsh, Finn Wolfhard as Richie Tozier, Jack Dylan Grazer as Eddie Kaspbrak, Chosen Jacobs as Mike Hanlon, Wyatt Oleff as Stanley Uris, Nicholas Hamilton as Henry Bowers, Owen Teague as Patrick Hockstetter, and Logan Thompson as Victor Criss.
IT will hit theaters September 8, 2017.
Do you think Hugo Weaving would have been a good selection to portray the creepy clown Pennywise in the upcoming It adaptation?
MORE It the Movie: New Glimpse Of Pennywise On Stephen King’s IT Set / It Director Andy Muschietti Teases First Look At Pennywise Character
[H/T Bloody Disgusting]
