Stephen King fans who have been looking forward to the planned remake of ‘IT’ may have some light at the end of the tunnel. After losing Cary Fukunaga over a budget dispute, it’s now being reported that Andy Muschietti (who directed the 2013 horror hit ‘Mama’) has been brought on as the new director.
This sounds like great news. Even though Muschietti still has a pretty thin portfolio, what he has done speaks for itself. Heck, Guillermo del Toro called the original ‘Mama’ short film “one of the scariest little scenes I’ve ever seen.” If that’s not an endorsement, I don’t know what is. While it’s not confirmed, it seems likely that Muschietti’s sister and frequent collaborator, Barbara, will be joining as a producer.
To be sure, the movie still has some problems that need to be cleared up. ‘IT’ was supposed to have started filming in late June, but wasn’t able to, for obvious reasons. It’s not clear at this point when exactly filming will start. Will Poulter was signed on to play the part of Pennywise the Clown, but it seems that now he is not longer attached to the movie, though he may return depending on schedule and other factors. Also of concern are the budget cuts that caused Fukunaga to leave as director. While Muschietti wants to keep the movie in two parts, as originally planned by Fukunaga, a smaller budget might make that plan more difficult to keep to.
‘IT’ is about a small town in Maine being terrorized by a mysterious and powerful monster that likes to eat children. It most frequently takes the form of a creepy clown called Pennywise. The story follows a group of friends who, first as children and then as adults, try to fight against this monster and end its reign of terror.
So what do you think? Is Muschietti the right director for the job? Does ‘IT’ even need a remake? Will anyone ever be able to hold a candle to Tim Curry’s performance as Pennywise? Let us know in the comments below.
