The novel It holds a revered place in Stephen King’s body of work. At over 1,000 pages long, it captures what readers love about him: it’s funny, it’s heartwarming, it’s rich in both character and setting, and, of course, it's bone-chillingly scary. So his fans could be forgiven for feeling some apprehension about whether or not this adaptation could capture everything that made the novel so beloved.
Fortunately, director Andy Muschietti and his team of writers delivered one of the best King adaptations ever made. The children who carry the story are imbued with humor and soul. The town of Derry feels like a living, breathing character all its own. And Bill Skarsgård’s performance as Pennywise the Clown has already cemented him as a horror icon.