EXCLUSIVE: ‘It’ Director Says Movie Earns R-Rating in First Two Minutes

Chris Tilly
Movies Comic-Con
Movies Comic-Con Horror

It director Andres Muschietti has been discussing his eagerly anticipated adaptation of Stephen King‘s horror classic, talking about the changes he has made to the book, and claiming that the film earns its R-rating early on.

Hardcore It

Andy Muschietti with Wyat Oleff - who plays Stan Uris in 'It' - at the pre-screening reception.

Mushietti was presenting new footage from the film at San Diego Comic-Con, but before he took to the stage to set-up the clips, FANDOM grabbed him at a pre-screening reception for a quick chin-wag. And the director revealed that the film starts out pretty violent, saying: “People said it was too hardcore but I insisted, so it stayed that way… it earns its R-rating in the first two minutes.”

Mushietti added that where the book dealt in movie monsters that scared kids of the 1950s, like Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolf Man, his updated version – which takes place in the 1980s – is less about pop culture horrors, and more concerned with “primal fears.”

He explained, “Each kid has their own fear – it’s very primal – we’re dealing with deep childhood trauma.”

Edgy Pennywise

The young cast of 'It' at Comic-Con.

The director then took to the stage in a cinema that was packed to the rafters, and between clips, revealed more about his take on novel, stating that while it’s horror, the story is also filled with “love, friendship, and lots of beautiful emotions.”

Claiming that he wasn’t feeling the pressure of adapting a beloved classic, Muschietti said he was endeavouring to “stay true to the emotional experience you had when you read it, but at the same time make a movie that will blow the heads off adults.”

As for Pennywise – the terrifying clown at the dark heart of It – the director said he would “stay true to the essence of the character, but also bring edge and stuff that people won’t expect.”

King himself then appeared onscreen via pre-recorded message and called the movie a “thrilling interpretation.”

Finally, at the end of the presentation, Muchietti introduced a brand-new trailer that blew the roof off the place, and which we’ve written about here.

It hits screens on September 8, while you can check out the film’s brand-new Comic-Con poster below.

Chris Tilly
Freelance writer. At this point my life is a combination of 1980s horror movies, Crystal Palace football matches, and episodes of I'm Alan Partridge. The first series. When he was in the travel tavern. Not the one after.