New Line Cinema held its third annual ScareDiego event at San Diego, CA concurrent with all the exciting events going down at San Diego Comic-Con. Conan O’Brien served as the moderator of the panel and the presentation centered on the upcoming horror sequel, IT: Chapter Two.
O’Brien opened up the presentation with the premiere of the newest trailer for the film, which showcased more horrifying content that brings the grown-up elements of Stephen King’s beloved book to life. The trailer showcased scenes that were also shown in three extended clips that premiered exclusively for those in attendance for the presentation.
Director Andy Muschietti and the cast portraying the adult versions of the Losers’ Club that include James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone and Andy Bean appeared on stage to discuss their collaborative experience. The cast shared stories from the production and touched upon their relationships with their younger counterparts from IT: Chapter One.
Muschietti and the cast all exhibited some humorous camaraderie throughout the panel, with Hader standing out with the most animated, hilarious persona that left the entire crowd in stitches. One particular standout moment was when Hader recalled a situation in which he was FaceTiming with his two kids and Pennywise actor Bill Skarsgard would suddenly appear on his FaceTime camera.
Chastain expressed her enthusiasm in working with Muschietti again, having worked with him on his directorial debut, Mama. She also recalled filming a sequence in the film that has been heavily touted as one of the bloodiest scenes in modern horror movie history.
Three extended scenes were presented during the panel. The first scene showcases the Losers’ Club reuniting 27 years later at a Chinese restaurant. The scene begins lighthearted and humorous, with Hader and Ransone standing out with some of the funnier bits. Without giving too much away, the scene ends on a particularly frightening note.
The second scene was focused on McAvoy inside a house of mirrors trying to rescue a child who is in danger of becoming Pennywise’s next victim. While a snippet of this scene was shown in the trailer, the entire extended sequence amplifies the tension to a point that left the audience squealing by the time the scene cut to black.
The third and final scene was another showcase of the chemistry amongst the adult Losers’ Club as they confront the same house they encountered 27 years prior. Hader once again steals the show with a moment that also served as an interesting tribute to John Carpenter’s The Thing.
The presentation concluded with a musical moment that involved Muschietti bringing in a reluctant Chastain to sing along. Hader, McAvoy and the rest of the cast led the entire audience to snap in rhythm. A Q&A with the audience followed, which included a sweet moment in which an art teacher handed McAvoy some special artwork. The cast concluded the Q&A discussing how IT: Chapter Two is coming out at a time in which the horror genre is taken more seriously than ever.
Overall, ScareDiego 2019 gave attendees yet another exciting venture into New Line Cinema’s horror catalogue. And if the trailer and scenes presented are any indication, it appears that Muschietti and the gang are living up to people’s hopes for a fitting conclusion for the Losers’ Club on the big screen.
Here’s the official synopsis for IT: Chapter Two:
Because every 27 years evil revisits the town of Derry, Maine, “IT CHAPTER TWO” brings the characters—who’ve long since gone their separate ways—back together as adults, nearly three decades after the events of the first film.
IT: Chapter Two will star Bill Skarsgard, James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Jay Ryan, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, James Ransone, Andy Bean, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Finn Wolfhard, Chosen Jacobs, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Wyatt Oleff.
IT: Chapter Two hits theaters on September 6, 2019.
