In 2017, Bill Skarsgård graced our screens with his terrifying performance in It, but you know what else came?
The It Memes
Pennywise dancing like a crazy person was the catalyst of It memes. There are hundreds of compilations compiled over the web. People would change the background of the original music to something jarring against Pennywise’s dance moves. As horrifying as Bill Skarsgård’s performance was as Pennywise, he could not out dance the meme universe.
James Charles Beef
Speaking of Memes… fellow controversial makeup beauty guru James Charles tweeted a negative comment during the showing. Many fans were angry. And a certain cast member, Finn Wolfhard, decided to throw a little sass. He snapped back at Charles in one simple tweet, “Why are you on your phone in the movie theater? Rule 1.” If that wasn’t enough, Charles posted a Pennywise makeup tutorial inspired by the film. It received massive backlash because of Charle’s negative opinion of the film. Welcome to the Internet, where a beauty guru is getting hate from a whole movie fanbase.
The Clown Takeover
While the film was still in production the year prior, there were sightings of killer clowns that took over social media. These clowns would stalk people and try to hurt them. Nothing was confirmed, but the incidents were closely aligned with the principal photography of It, but the world will never know. It was a strange time in 2016, and many people think it was a hoax made by YouTubers and fans of It.
The Cast
The main reason It: Chapter One worked so well was the young cast. Their talent carried the movie, ultimately catapulting many new film and TV opportunities for the young stars. Finn Wolfhard was just starting out as Mike in Stranger Things, but after his role as Richie, he became a household name. More job opportunities came in swing for Wolfhard when he provided his voice as Pugsley in The Addams Family (2019). He also snagged the role in Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Just recently, a sequel to the film has been announced.
Jaeden Martell starred in a limited series alongside Chris Evans in Defending Jacob, which had high ratings. He also starred in a grade A thriller/comedy, Knives Out, with a hefty ensemble cast. Soon, he will be debuting in The Lost Boys remake.
Jack Dylan Grazer has starred in many new roles, including an HBO Max mini-original series, We Are Who We Are. His more notable roles are Shazam! and Luca. Grazer will be in the sequel for Shazam!: Fury of Gods.
Sophia Lillis made her mark in the Netflix series I Am Not Okay With This. She also starred in another horror film, Gretel and Hansel. Next year, she will participate in the Dungeons and Dragons franchise, making it her first big movie since It.
It started many of these young actors’ careers in numerous genres, causing a new generation of stardom. Celebrate their success and the film’s release date by rewatching (or watching for the first time) It on HBO Max or Netflix.
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