New movie of IT?

[Tim D.]

A year or two ago I read, in Entertainment Weekly I think, that the idea to do a new version of IT as a theatrical feature was being tossed around. Has this idea developed any further or been dropped by the wayside?

[Moderator]

No idea as this isn't one that Stephen is involved with personally.

[Sepia and Dust]

There have been several projects to remake IT. As far as I can tell, the one with the most traction would have told the story from Bev's point of view. It's been years since I've seen any new developments, though.

[AchtungBaby]

Seems like I heard something fairly recently about a re-make?... I'm not sure. I haven't heard anything since.

[GNTLGNT]

...they're waiting for the current crop of seniors to graduate from clown college....

[mustangclaire]

I hope there is!! I watched t'other one the other day, it's great but COULD be better.

[Robert Gray]

I hope there is!! I watched t'other one the other day, it's great but COULD be better.

But most likely it would be a lot WORSE. Split the difference and read the book again. It never disappoints. I kept hearing rumors of them reworking it tob e set in modern time. That alone makes me not even remotely interested. I have no interest in seeing the Losers portrayed as the kids in the 80s... and then modern day. It would make no sense whatsoever. The monster's that the kid's imagined in the 80s would NOT be those in the book. They would have grown up on monster movies of their day (Jason, Freddy, and other bizarre 70s horror shows from before). They would not have been weaned on the Wolfman, creature from the black lagoon, or the mummy.

There are other problems as well, far too many to count, which make a modern revisit too horrific to imagine. It is an ode to Mr. King's childhood and a the time period in which it took place. Would Something Wicked This Way Comes have even a quarter of its magic pulled from its point in the mythical past? I don't think so. In general, I'm rarely thrilled by movies made from books. Would I be happy to see a quality translation of King's book? Sure. Do I have ANY faith that we will ever see that? No. In fact, I'm horrified by ever idea I hear bubbling up in the rumor mill about the possible remake.

[Lily Sawyer]

But most likely it would be a lot WORSE.

I disagree. There were some casting choices that I didn't like in the mini-series, but overall it was a good effort for TV, given the era in which it was made and the restrictions placed on the adult nature of its theme.
If HBO were to get its hands on it, I can guarantee it would be a bang-up incarnation.

Alan Cumming for Pennywise.

[mustangclaire]

I love the book and have read it a thousand times... I'm not saying i want it different, I guess I'm just greedy, and would like another VERSION....

[Robert Gray]

I disagree. There were some casting choices that I didn't like in the mini-series, but overall it was a good effort for TV, given the era in which it was made and the restrictions placed on the adult nature of its theme.

It was a "good effort" for TV. I'm sure we will be forced to say it was a "good effort" based on how things are done in Hollywood. The problem is a "good effort" doesn't interest me. If they aren't going to do it right, I'd rather they didn't do it at all. The problem is that Hollywood has some sort of built in arrogance that says, "your story is alright for a book but we know what we are doing over here and can make it better." Half the time I don't think they even read the books, just the treatment they have hired someone else to do. They change things for convenience and out of preference for their medium without paying attention to whether or not those things were at the heart of the story.

Consider the film version of Dolan's Cadillac. Most of the characterization of the protagonist was important. He wasn't a tough man. He wasn't a good looking man. He was a frail, mid-life, balding man who didn't have any money. He lacked the personal and financial means to ever get revenge. He never grabbed a gun and went after the man he hated directly outside of perhaps in his mind because he wasn't that kind of person and knew it would fail. These are IMPORTANT things which go a long way to investing us in the character. The movie portrayed the protagonists as a young, beautiful man. He clearly must have had money because shots of his house took away my breath. His wife was actually shown in the film and apparently they had enough money to keep their own horses and go riding for enjoyment. Please note that I'm not faulting the actors in that film. What I'm saying situation and story don't feel right because of the changes they made. Hell, they even had the young, handsome hero reveal himself and come at Dolan with a gun at one point. I could go on and talk about the evil Dolan is altered but I've made my point with the protagonist. The situation/story is born out of the characters and when Hollywood changes said characters, missing the forest for the trees, they destroy the story.

If HBO were to get its hands on it, I can guarantee it would be a bang-up incarnation.

I agree that if HBO or SHOWTIME did it, most likely as a finite series, it could be done right. This would assume, also, that they did NOT try to shoehorn it into modern times. We would need someone making the series with the same love and respect for the source material as the guy who did The Watchmen, Sin City, or the 300, i.e. someone who does make changes when necessary for the medium, but this is ONLY done when necessary. In short, do I think it is POSSIBLE? Yes. Do I think it is likely? No.