Across the board, IT is a faithful adaptation of Stephen King's 1986 horror novel. With the exception of a few major elements and scenes, Andy Muschietti's smash-hit adheres to the book in both plot and tone.As with any adaptation of a beloved novel, however, certain things are bound to be left on the cutting-room floor. There are the larger changes, like the fact that the movie takes place in the 1980's when King set the book in the late 1950's. The novel also shifts between alternate timelines of child and adult versions of The Losers' Club, while the movie remains entirely linear. As for smaller alterations, Georgie is found dead in the book, for example, while he is curiously listed as MIA in the film adaptation. And whereas Mike Hanlon is the tacit narrator and designated historian of the book, Ben Hascomb seems to have taken his place in the movie.From minor character shifts to literally cosmic changes, here are the biggest differences between IT the movie and the book on which it's based:
The Immortal Turtle and Macroverse Are Excluded
Stephen King is wildly imaginative, and his creative streak is on full display in the pages of IT. His seminal novel goes above and beyond fleshing out Pennywise the dancing clown. While the movie shows IT to only be a fiendish, blood-lusting child killer, the book delves deeper into the demon's origins and shows that Pennywise is no earthly creature.
Heralding from the Macroverse, the IT monster's homeland is known as the Deadlights, a place that exists in a realm beyond human comprehension. Though IT chooses to reveal himself as a child-friendly (ish) clown, he's actually a hirsute beast of indescribable size and horror. In the Macroverse described in the books, IT also shares part of its galaxy with an immortal, god-like turtle named Maturin who helps The Losers' Club beat Pennywise.
The Losers Don't Just Beat-Up Pennywise
In the movie adaptation, The Losers essentially beat the demonic clown through emotional grit and physical determination. Though that's a time-tested combination in its own right, Stephen King drew up a different conclusion for the clown's comeuppance.
After introducing Maturin in a strange intra-dimensional segue, The Losers' Club actually gets to interact with the supernatural reptile after Bill discovers something called the Ritual of Chud. In its simplest form, this cryptic rite is essentially a psychic battle of wits. Thanks to the guiding hand of Maturin, Bill applies the ritual to expose IT in its hairy, deadlight-ridden form and banish it back to a 27-year-long dirt nap.
While Andy Muschietti has implied that budgetary restraints kept these supernatural elements out of the movie, he has mentioned that IT: Chapter Two may have room for the Macroverse. If it's introduced in full form, perhaps a Dark Tower crossover is in order.
IT Shapeshifts Into '50s Horror Movie Icons
As an ageless, sexless, space-born killing machine, IT has a number of powers. Chief among them is the beast's ability to shapeshift upon command. In the latest movie, we saw it turn into the woman in the painting that Stan despised, become Eddie's porous and stalking, leper, and Richie's clown-filled nightmare.
Stephen King took a few more liberties in his novel, however. From turning into Frankenstein's Monster and the Creature From the Black Lagoon, to The Mummy, Dracula, the Jaws shark and other horror movie icons, IT is a walking tribute to classic horror films in King's book. Due to the complicated issues of cinematic rights, it's no surprise Muschietti focused his attention on more affordable fears. Besides, given the movie's anchoring in 1980's America, those old school villains might have seemed out of place.
œThat Scene In the Sewers Is (Thankfully) Gone
Few fans of the book expected to ever see this scene even hinted at in the movie adaptation. Regardless, Stephen King's infamous child sex scene lives on in the minds of many. While lost in the sewers in pursuit of IT, Beverly offers herself to her boyish companions as a means to form a bond with the group, turning them from scared boys into men capable of finding their way out. Though the author allegedly saw it as a clever bridge between adolescence and adulthood, it makes for a deeply disconcerting couple of pages.
Though Stephen King was taken aback by the backlash to the scene, he itted, I wasn't really thinking of the sexual aspect of it. Oddly enough, that's the only thing many readers took away from it. Director Andy Muschietti also thought the scene would be unnecessary, diplomatically citing the closing blood oath as a stronger alternative.
Beverly's Domestic Trauma Is Softened
While the movie portrays Bev as a damsel in distress, the book shows her as a survivor. She's the backbone of the Losers, and arguably the toughest of the seven. Though there is certainly a love triangle between Bill, Ben, and Bev, that Disney-trope kiss from Ben has no basis in the book.
The film may also strongly hint at the perverse relationship between Bev and her father, but Stephen King delved deep into the psychological and physical horror of it. The sins of Bev's father would echo in her adult life, as she encounters multiple violent relationships and ultimately an abusive marriage. Without that set-up, it will be interesting to see how Muschietti explores these themes 27 years later in IT: Chapter Two.
The Barrens Play A More Strategic Role
In King's book, the Barrens serve as the precious headquarters for the Losers. It's where they hang out free from the pressure of bullies and outsiders. Most importantly, the Barrens are an escape from adults.
On the other hand, the Barrens are also a main access point for IT's home turf in the bowels of the Derry sewers. Though the movie shows the team of seven skulking about at the Barrens, the location's importance is overshadowed by the house on Neibolt Street, which IT uses as the gateway drug to seduce his young followers. Given the amount of jump scares in the derelict house, it seems Muschietti made a wise choice in concentrating the action within it.
The Bowers Gang Are On The Backburner
Though they received some valuable screen time, the Bowers gang played second fiddle to Pennywise the Clown in the majority of IT. While it's understandable why Muschietti would focus his attention on the titular villain of the movie, King's novel built up Henry Bowers and his cronies as evil rivals to IT itself.
In the book, Henry is a racist psychopath who stops at nothing to kill every member of The Losers' Club. Among his twisted feats, he killed Mike Hanlon's dog, broke Eddie's arm, and violently etched part of his name into Ben's gut. All of this (and more) sends Henry on a first-class ride to the local insane asylum where IT eventually tracks him down and weaponizes him in May of 1985.
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Despite these changes, Muschietti was able to create a film that both appeases hardcore fans and thrills franchise newcomers, streamlining the story in a way that makes the movie work. The real impact of some of these changes might become more apparent when Chapter 2 comes to theaters in 2019, considering many of these changed plot points have more relevance in that era than the once on which Chapter One focused. Did you have any favorite parts of the book you were disappointed to find they excluded on the big screen, or are you happy the changed they things they did? Let us hear about it in the comments!
IT: Chapter Two is expected to premiere in 2019.
