After what felt like years of waiting — beyond the 27 that we actually did wait — an updated, R-rated adaptation of Stephen King’s IT has finally made its way into theaters. While the 1990 made-for-TV mini-series definitely left its mark on children for an entire generation (thanks mostly to Tim Curry‘s terrifying portrayal of Pennywise the dancing clown), the subject matter was due for a revamp that stayed closer to the source material of the massive novel.
The early reviews for Stephen King’s IT are suggesting that the movie has hit the mark, with Bill Skarsgard delivering a brilliantly unpredictable performance as Pennywise. The chance to see something this epic made us here at PopCulture.com want to confront our deepest, darkest fears by compiling a list of the 10 Best Killer Clowns!
Videos by PopCulture.com
Speaking of Pennywise, you knew he’d have to land on this list, but where exactly!? Right in the highly coveted No. 2 spot! In fact, a lot of credit has to be given to Stephen King‘s original novel for jump starting this whole killer clown craze.
Released over 30 years ago in 1986, IT follows seven children in the late 1950s who are being terrorized by an otherworldly being that exploits the fears of its victims in order to disguise itself while hunting its prey. Primarily, “It” appears in the form of a clown named Pennywise and thus all of our nightmares began. Leave it to Stephen King to make us deathly afraid of Bozo.
As mentioned earlier, the first time Pennywise was brought to life was courtesy of Tim Curry, most famous for his role as Dr. Frank N Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. His performance has consistently been cited as the highlight of the original mini-series, and now the role has been taken over by Bill Skarsgard who critics are also applauding as a highlight for the film.
But which killer clown toppled Pennywise on our list? You’ll have to watch the video at the top of the article to find out. And when you finish with that, make sure you go check out Stephen King’s IT, in theaters now. Just make sure you buy two tickets and bring a friend.
