Some random thoughts about IT: Chapter II

The next, and final, chapter of IT is coming up and even though I capped my last four pre-movie musings off with a (mediocre) review there’s no need for me to stop there. Because casting news is upon us and somehow, somewhere the financial success of the first movie has made ‘getting a part in the sequel’ such a hot topic in Hollywood that any actor -or one actress- that somewhat resembles the one of the kids in the first part wants to take part.

Fantasy versus reality casting
This is the reality of fantasy casting. I would love Tom Cruise to play to play the father in Eowyn Ivey’s The snow child. But it will never happen because the book is too obscure and the possible revenue hard to tell.

But if you have a book based movie set, from the get go, to be a two-parter. And the first part of the book is a gigantic success. Then fantasy casting becomes a possibility because all kinds of A-list actors are interested.

So my original fantasy-casting was a bit conservative (LINK). I figured I could do with normal (cheap) actors who would deliver greatly. It hadn’t crossed my mind that the success of IT: chapter 1 would open up the gates to A-list actors being interested.

This brings an interesting dilemma to the table. For me as the fantasy caster as well as the actual movie makers. Should one cast the best actor for the part or should one cast the best A-list actor for the part?

By the looks of it the movie makers are wise. They are casting actors of which only some happen to reside in the A-list category for now.

Remember fame is temporary. Johnny Depp was the highest grossing actor in his early Pirates days.

Now people mock him. He’ll return, no worries.

So who do we have right now: Jessica Chastain is confirmed for Beth. One red-haired girl for the next. But Chastain is a great actress in the right age-group so the A-list-bit is a bonus.

James Mcavoy, then, is Bill. This is an actor who (I always enjoy this) had to work for his career. He didn’t get his big break on his first job. The dear chap got his break playing a faun in a kids movie. I certainly respect that.

I also respect the fact that most of the coins in The Chronicles of Narnia: the witch, the lion and the wardrobe’s -swear jar were his.

But what I really enjoy is James Ransone being cast as Eddy. This is an actor that can act (I saw as much in Insidious II). But he also looks remarkably like the younger actor. He could be his father for all I know.

Now Ransone isn’t an A-list actor as the two previously mentioned. But he can certainly pull the part off right.

So that’s the balance I like: the casting-playing field is entirely open. Anyone can join: famous or less-famous. The only requirement is looking like the younger ‘self’ and being able to actually act.

Other news: more horror
For a horror-connoisseur like me the first chapter of IT was, at certain times, a bit of a let-down. Some CGI tomfoolery with Pennywise’s face and that whole strange projection-scene thing didn’t quite work for me.

And I’m still bothered how a group of kids can clean an entire bathroom of blood

(including ceiling) without getting it on their clothes.

But luckily there was more than enough awesome stuff hidden in that movie as well.
Now rumours are spreading that IT: Chapter 2 is going to up the horror scale. Considering some of the deaths at the start of this chapter I am intrigued.

The ending
Which brings me to the ending. The original ending in the book is so far out there (with a wonderful Stephen Hawking’s A brief History of time-influence) that I doubt it will make it into the movie.

However, I don’t want the big spider from the mini-series either. So when it comes to the end of chapter II the betting game can begin.

Will the second chapter for IT bank on the ‘big monster fight’-finale? Or will the movie opt for the ‘supernatural inter-dimensional –what the heck was Stephen King using at the time- finale?

I’m hoping for a combination of the two. Ben being in gaga-land and defeating the transcendental Pennywise whilst the rest of the ‘losers’ are, fighting the bloodiest of fights, destroying the physical Pennywise.

Anyway, filming is currently underway, so in the upcoming months news will gradually leak out like an old sewage pipe.