Skip to main content

Want nightmares? Check out Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise in Stephen King's 'It'

pennywise bill skarsgard stephen king it crop
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Production is currently underway on the two-part, big-screen feature based on Stephen King’s It, and now we have our first look at the story’s most iconic — and terrifying — character, Pennywise the Clown.

The first image of the new Pennywise, as portrayed by Bill Skarsgard, certainly maintains the creepy visual standard set by Tim Curry in the 1990 television miniseries that first brought King’s story to the screen. And according to Skarsgard, the character goes well beyond the typical psychopathic killer.

“It’s such an extreme character. Inhuman,” Skarsgard told Entertainment Weekly, which debuted the image of Pennywise. “It’s beyond even a sociopath, because he’s not even human. He’s not even a clown. I’m playing just one of the beings It creates … It truly enjoys the shape of the clown Pennywise, and enjoys the game and the hunt. What’s funny to this evil entity might not be funny to everyone else. But he thinks it’s funny.”

bill skarsgard pennywise it
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Set to be directed by Mama filmmaker Andy Muschietti, It tells the story of a group of kids in the town of Derry, Maine, who must overcome their fear in order to battle an evil creature tormenting the town’s youngest, most vulnerable inhabitants. Decades later, they find themselves brought together again when a murderer begins preying on the town’s children once again.

The film will unfold in two feature-length chapters, with the first focusing on the younger versions of the characters, and the second installment following the same characters as adults.

According to Entertainment Weekly, the movie will bring the story forward in time a bit, with the younger versions of the characters having their encounter with Pennywise in the ’80s, and the adult characters taking him on in the current time period. (The events in King’s original novel and the 1990 miniseries were set in the ’50s with the children and ’80s with the adult characters.)

The cast of the first film in the two-part feature includes Skarsgard as Pennywise, along with Jaeden Lieberher (Midnight Special), Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things), Sophia Lillis, Jack Dylan Grazer (Tales of Halloween), Wyatt Oleff (Guardians of the Galaxy), Chosen Jacobs (Hawaii Five-0), and Jeremy Ray Taylor (42) as the young friends brought together by the terrifying events unfolding in their town.

Stephen King’s It – Part One is scheduled to hit theaters September 8, 2017.

Editors' Recommendations

Rick Marshall
A veteran journalist with more than two decades of experience covering local and national news, arts and entertainment, and…
10 best stop-motion animated movies of all time, ranked
Coraline crawls through a dark tunnel.

Stop-motion animation is one of the most creative and beloved subgenres -- and it only seems to get better with time. The greatest movies in this category showcase the hard work and artistry of the inventive minds behind these stories, which often take a long time to commit to film. Each frame is a painstakingly crafted work of art, all aimed at creating immersive worlds full of unforgettable narratives and characters.

From obscure modern classics like The Wolf House to genre-defining masterpieces like The Nightmare Before Christmas, the best stop-motion animated movies highlight the full potential of the medium to deliver complex stories alongside gorgeous and distinct visuals. The craftmanship on display in these films is a testament to the power of animation and those who boldly push the genre's boundaries to create enchanting realities.
10. James and the Giant Peach (1996)

Read more
The 50 best anime on Hulu right now
Gintama anime key art featuring Gintoki leading the supporting cast of the series.

Even when it's not the primary destination, Hulu is still easily among the best mainstream platforms to stream some of the best anime available. It's an especially great supplement for audiences already fans of the streamer's live-action originals, boasting impressive diversity in its anime offerings across film, TV, and various genres.

For customers who aren't subscribed, the Disney Bundle is more than worth consideration to back up Hulu's anime library. This package deal gives viewers countless hours of content through Disney+, ESPN+, and the base ad-supported Hulu plan. Fans will have access to all the Star Wars, Marvel Studios, National Geographic, and sports content they could hope for on top of Hulu's anime catalog.

Read more
Nuggets vs Mavericks live stream: Can you watch for free?
Nikola Jokic squares up a free throw on the court.

Luka Dončić and the Dallas Mavericks take on Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets today. Playoff seeding implications aside, it's always a must-watch event whenever two of the greatest international players of all-time do battle.

This one is set to start in about one hour, at 3:30 p.m. ET, and will be televised on ABC in the United States. If you don't have cable or you're looking to finally cut the cable cord, there are a bunch of different ways you can watch a live stream of the game online.
The Best Way to Watch the Nuggets vs Mavericks Live Stream

Read more