Sequel to 'It' Remake Production Schedule Hints at 2019 Release Date

08/31/2017 04:16 pm EDT

When it was announced that there would be a new live-action adaptation of Stephen King's novel It, fans were first nervous about how such a massive story could be fit into one feature-length film. Luckily, the initial announcement made it clear that the story would be getting two films, with the first focusing on the young characters and the second film focusing on their adult counterparts. The first film hits theaters on September 8, but details on the second film have been pretty minimal. Speaking with Variety, director Andres Muschietti laid out the planned production schedule, which would result in a 2019 release date.

The director explained, "We are doing that [two films]. We'll probably have a script for the second part in January. Ideally, we would start prep in March. Part one is only about the kids. Part two is about these characters 30 years later as adults, with flashbacks to 1989 when they were kids."

The first film began shooting in June of last year, which meant it was slightly more than a year from shooting to the film's release. If prep were to start in March, this would result in a summer of 2018 shoot, potentially slating the film for another September release in 2019.

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Other two-part films, like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows or Avengers: Infinity War, are shot in close succession to one another, as the post-production process can be quite daunting. Considering the second film will use completely different actors to play adult versions of the Losers' Club, casting most likely hasn't even begun.

Some interpretations of the delays in filming might be that New Line Cinema wants to see how the first film performs before guaranteeing a second film, but with the first film's trailer becoming the most-viewed trailer in a 24-hour window, odds are that the first film will be a big financial success.

The storyline revolves around a group of young kids in Derry, Maine who come face-to-face with their worst fears when they square off against an evil clown named Pennywise, whose history of murder and violence dates back for centuries.

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The cast of IT includes: Bill Skarsgård, Javier Botet, Jaeden Lieberher, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Jack Dylan Grazer, Chosen Jacobs, Wyatt Oleff, Nicholas Hamilton, Owen Teague and Logan Thompson.

The adapted screenplay was penned by Chase Palmer, Cary Fukunaga, and Gary Dauberman. The producers on the film include Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Seth Grahame-Smith, David Katzenberg and Barbara Muschietti, with Marty P. Ewing, Doug Davison and Jon Silk serving as executive producers.

Be sure to check out IT when the movie hits theaters on September 8, 2017.

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