Hitting theaters later this year is the latest adaptation of Stephen King‘s novel It, about a group of children terrorized by the villainous Pennywise the Clown. In new concept artwork released by Entertainment Weekly, we get an all-new look at the clown’s lair, while director Andy Muschietti reveals a drastic change in the fate of an integral character. You can check out the new images in the gallery below.
In both the 1986 novel and the original 1990 mini-series, It opens with the character Georgie, little brother to Bill, going outside in the rain to play with a paper boat. As Georgie chases the boat down the street, a voice calls out to him from the sewer, giving us our first glimpse of Pennywise. When Georgie approaches the clown, he is pulled into the drain, never to be seen alive again.
Videos by PopCulture.com
Muschietti revealed, however, that in his adaptation, Georgie is never discovered at all. This might seem like an arbitrary change, but it significantly alters the motivations of Bill and his friends, the “Losers’ Club,” and what causes them to explore the sewer.
UP NEXT: New Photo Of Pennywise From Stephen King’s ‘IT’ Revealed, And It’s Bloody
Rather than Bill leading his friends into the sewer to seek revenge for his brother being murdered, he’s merely going in to investigate. This effectively changes the audience’s perception of Bill, putting him and his friends in a much more vulnerable position than in one of vengeance.
The upcoming film is the first of two, with the initial installment focusing on the young kids who attempt to battle Pennywise and the second film exploring the characters’ reunion as adults.
IT will be released in theaters on Sept. 8.
MORE NEWS: Stephen King’s ‘It’ Movie Likely Leaving Out Book’s Most Controversial Sex Scene
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.
The cast of IT includes: Bill Skarsgรฅrd, 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.
Photo Credit: Warner Brothers
