It

It is the first of a two-part adaptation of the 1986 novel of the same name by Stephen King, primarily covering the first chronological half of the book. It is the first film in the It film series as well as being the second adaptation following Tommy Lee Wallace’s 1990 miniseries.

The film stars Jaeden Lieberher and Bill Skarsgård as the lead roles, with Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs, Jack Dylan Grazer, Nicholas Hamilton, and Jackson Robert Scott featured in supporting roles. The film was produced by New Line Cinema, KatzSmith Productions, Lin Pictures, and Vertigo Entertainment. Set in Derry, Maine,

the film tells the story of The Losers’ Club (Lieberher, Ray Taylor, Lillis, Wolfhard, Oleff, Jacobs, and Dylan Grazer), a group of seven outcast children who are terrorized by the eponymous being which emerges from the sewer (Skarsgård), only to face their own personal demons in the process.

Development of the theatrical film adaptation of It began in March 2009 when Warner Bros. started discussing that they would be bringing it to the big screen, with David Kajganich planned to direct, before being replaced by Fukunaga in June 2012. After Fukunaga dropped out as the director in May 2015, Muschietti was signed on to direct the film in June 2015.

He talks of drawing inspiration from 1980s films such as The Howling (1981), The Thing (1982) The Goonies (1985), Stand by Me (1986) and Near Dark (1987) and cited the influence of Steven Spielberg. During the development, the film was moved to New Line Cinema division in May 2014. Principal photography began in Toronto on June 27, 2016, and ended on September 21, 2016.

The locations for It were in the Greater Toronto Area, including Port Hope, Oshawa, and Riverdale. Benjamin Wallfisch was hired in March 2017 to composed the film’s musical score.

It premiered in Los Angeles at the TCL Chinese Theatre on September 5, 2017, and was released in the United States on September 8, 2017, in 2D and IMAX formats. A critical and commercial success, the film set numerous box office records and grossed over $701 million worldwide, becoming the third-highest-grossing R-rated film at the time of its release.

Unadjusted for inflation, it became the highest-grossing horror film of all time. It received generally positive reviews, with critics praising the performances, direction, cinematography and musical score, and many calling it one of the best Stephen King adaptations. It also received numerous awards and nominations, earning two Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association nominations, including Best Acting Ensemble. It was nominated for the Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie.

The film won three Bogey Awards, for pulling in more than two million German admissions in 11 days. In addition, the motion picture was named one of the best films of 2017 by various critics, appearing on several critics’ end-of-year lists. The second film, It Chapter Two, was released on September 6, 2019, covering the remaining story from the book.

Georgie sails the boat along the rainy streets of small town Derry, Maine, only to have it fall down a storm drain. As he attempts to retrieve it, Georgie sees a clown in the drain, who introduces himself as “Pennywise the Dancing Clown”. Pennywise entices Georgie to come closer, then bites his arm off and drags him into the sewer.

The following summer in June 1989, Bill and his friends Richie Tozier, Eddie Kaspbrak, and Stan Uris run afoul of older bullies Henry Bowers, Belch Huggins, Patrick Hockstetter, and Victor Criss. Bill, still haunted by Georgie’s disappearance, calculates that his brother’s body may have washed up in a marshy wasteland called the Barrens.

He recruits his friends to investigate, believing Georgie may still be alive. Ben Hanscom, one of Bill’s new classmates, learns that unexplained tragedies and child disappearances have plagued the town for centuries. Targeted by Bowers’ gang, Ben flees into the Barrens and meets Bill’s group. They find the sneaker of a missing girl named Betty Ripsom, while Patrick is killed by Pennywise while searching the sewers for Ben.

Beverly Marsh, a girl bullied over her rumored promiscuity, also joins the group; both Bill and Ben develop feelings for her. Later, the group befriends orphan Mike Hanlon after rescuing him from Bowers. Each member of the group has encountered terrifying manifestations of Pennywise: a headless undead boy (Ben), a sink that spews blood only children can see (Beverly),

A diseased and rotting leper (Eddie), a disturbing painting coming alive (Stan), Mike’s parents burning alive (Mike), and a frightening phantom of Georgie (Bill). Now calling themselves “The Losers Club”, they realize they are all being stalked by the same entity, which they refer to as “It”. They determine that It appears as their individual worst fears, awakening every 27 years to feed on the children of Derry before resuming hibernation, and moves about by using the sewer lines, which all lead to an old stone well hidden under an abandoned house on Neibolt Street.

After Pennywise attacks them, the group ventures to the house to confront It, only to be separated and terrorized. As Pennywise gloats to Bill about Georgie, the Losers regroup and Beverly impales Pennywise through the head, forcing the clown to retreat. The group flees the house and begins to splinter, with only Bill and Beverly resolute in fighting It.

Weeks later, after Beverly confronts and incapacitates her sexually abusive father, Pennywise abducts her. The Losers Club reassembles and returns to the abandoned house to rescue her. Bowers, who has murdered his abusive father after being driven insane by It, attacks the group; Mike fights back and pushes Bowers down the well.

The Losers descend into the sewers and find It’s underground lair, which contains a mountain of decayed circus props and children’s belongings, around which the bodies of It’s child victims float in mid-air. Beverly, now catatonic after being exposed to bright lights inside It’s gaping mouth, is restored to consciousness when Ben kisses her. Bill encounters Georgie, but recognizes that he is It in disguise. As Pennywise, It takes Bill hostage, offering to spare the others and go into hibernation if they let It feed on Bill. The Losers reject this, battling with It while overcoming their various fears.

It is eventually defeated and retreats deeper into the sewers, with Bill declaring that It will starve during its hibernation. After finding the remnants of Georgie’s raincoat, Bill finally comes to terms with his brother’s death, with his friends comforting him.

As summer ends, Beverly informs the group of a vision she had while catatonic, where she saw them fighting It again as adults. The Losers swear a blood oath that they will return to Derry as adults if It returns. After the others make their goodbyes and disperse, Beverly and Bill discuss her leaving the next day to live with her aunt in Portland. Before she leaves, Bill reveals his feelings and they kiss.