Stephen King’s perpetually terrifying thriller It is just one of many films receiving the reboot treatment, with the new adaptation set to hit theaters in September.
Until then, however, fans will have to tide themselves over with trailers and sneak peeks, several of which were shown to a few select movie enthusiasts in advance.
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On Wednesday night at San Diego Comic-Con, three reels of footage from the film were shown to audiences, and while the footage isn’t yet available to the public, Entertainment Weekly was there to recap the clips shot-for-shot.
“It remains one of my most personal works so I’m delighted it’s finally making it to the big screen,” King said in a video message ahead of the footage. “Enjoy this exclusive look… if you can.”
Up Next: New Stephen King’s ‘It’ Concept Art Reveals Pennywise’s Lair
The Losers Club
The first clip focused on The Losers Club, with five friends Bill Denbrough, Richie “Trashmouth” Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak, Stan Uris and Ben Hanscom trying to work up the courage to jump into a swimming hole. Before any of them do, however, Beverly Marsh arrives to show them up, hopping into the water and forging a friendship with the group.
The group then discusses the mysterious happenings in their town of Derry, Maine, with deaths and missing person cases occurring much more frequently than normal.
“It is a horror movie, but it’s not only that,” director Andy Muschietti explained to the audience beforehand. “It’s a story of love and friendship and a lot of other beautiful emotions. Our main characters are The Losers, as you know, and this clip is the first moment of the story when we see them blend and start forging that friendship.”
Pennywise Appears
The next scene takes a considerably more disturbing turn, with the footage opening on Mike Hanlon as he’s attacked by a group of bullies. Unable to defend himself, he looks around for help and sees a clown waving a bloody, dismembered child’s arm. Viewers can immediately conclude the clown is It, drawn to the scene by the violence.
Suddenly, The Losers Club arrives and manages to drive the bullies away by pelting them with rocks. Mike is now a member of the club, and the group promises to stick together.
“This is a meaningful moment in the book and the miniseries where the Losers discover the power of being together — the power that comes from being together,” Muschietti said.
Putting the pieces together
Along with the two scenes, audiences also saw a preview for a new trailer for the film, which will be released next week.
“When you’re a kid, you think the universe revolves around you,” a boy’s voice says. “That you’ll always be protected and cared for. Then, one day, you realize that’s not true.”
Footage is shown of Ben being held down by bullies near a bridge, with Henry Bowers attempting to carve his initial into the boy’s stomach. A car drives by and slows down, but the couple inside does nothing and drives away, with a red balloon rising from the back seat.
Next, viewers see Bill’s little brother, Georgie, who was taken by It and is a major focus of the film’s first trailer, seen below.
The Losers Club begins to put the pieces together, examining town history and uncovering the recurrent presence of It throughout.
“What happens when another Georgie goes missing?” Bill asks his friends after a scary encounter with Georgie’s ghost. “Are we just going to pretend it didn’t happen, like everyone else in this town? Or will we stick together.”
Lastly, Richie enters a room full of clown dolls, with Pennywise eventually revealing himself and lunging toward the camera, screaming.
Watch the teaser trailer for the movie below!
More: Stephen King’s ‘It’ Director Explains How Bill Skarsgard Won Coveted Pennywise Role
Photo Credit: Twitter / @Breznican
