Whether you are going out Trick or Treating or staying in and watching scary movies, we hope that everyone has a fun and safe Hallowe'en. Make it Spooky!
-Lana & John
Casting the Adult Losers Club
OCTOBER 3rd, 2017
By Lana Carbon
When I heard they were doing a remake of Stephen King's It, I was not happy. I am a huge fan of the original 1990 mini-series, even if the ending is super cheesy. Tim Curry played the quintessential Pennywise and the adult versions of the Losers Club were a who's who of '80s TV (Venus Flytrap, Judge Harry, Jack Tripper, and John-Boy). But as the hype continued to spread and the time grew closer, my curiosity got the best of me. We even had the opportunity to see part of the set that was built in Oshawa, Ontario (a city not far from where we live) which we wrote about in The "It" House. The real clincher was when they released the first photo of Bill Skarsgård's Pennywise and I saw how completely different this version was going to be. Right then, I knew I had to see this movie.
When it came to theatres, John and I decided to wait and make it the first movie in our 31 Movies for 31 Days of Hallowe'en. The wait seemed torturous at times with everyone posting their thoughts on social media; I tried desperately to avoid the spoilery reviews. As soon as October 1st hit, John and I were in the theatre checking out the new version of the Losers Club. I must say...I loved It. The movie had equal parts comedy and creep factor which is exactly what I think it should have had. My biggest fear was that I would continually be comparing the new Pennywise to the old but they were so different that I didn't really find myself doing that much at all until after the movie had ended and only to celebrate the fact that they were indeed so unique. It left me excited for Chapter 2, which I wasn't sure I was going to be when I entered the theatre. In my book, that makes it a success.
One of the biggest questions most people who have read the book or seen the original mini-series are left asking themselves is likely about the adult versions of the Losers Club. We all know Pennywise comes back 30 years later and the group rallies together to finish It off for good. My excitement led me to start thinking about which actors would be convincing were they to step into the roles of our heroes all grown up. I have included my list below but I would love to see your thoughts on the matter.
BILL - Ben Foster: I feel like he is enough of a leading man to rally the rest of the group behind him believably, while still allowing his insecurities to show through.
BEN - Chris Pratt: Knowing the transformation that Ben goes through after he leaves Derry, Chris would be able to understand this through his own transformation from his early career to now. He has the ability to play that lovable, charming character needed for adult Ben.
BEV - Lauren Ambrose: She is my first risk. She isn't as big a name but she did amazing work on Six Feet Under and I think could play the victimized Bev who finds her courage, amazingly well.
RICHIE - Seth Green: Not only is Seth a hilarious man, given the right material, but this allows the movie to turn full circle as he played young Richie in the 1990 mini-series. To me, this couldn't be a better choice.
MIKE - Sterling K. Brown: He may not be as well known as the others on this list (yet) but if you have see the show This Is Us, you will know that this man is an amazing actor. He can bring the serious intensity and responsibility of someone who has been left on watch in Derry for the last 30 years.
EDDIE - Giovanni Ribisi: I honestly don't know what it is about him, if it is the wide selection of unique roles he has played over the years, but I can easily see him as the frail hero that no one expects to save the day.
STAN - Rob Benedict: This (along with Bill) was the hardest for me to cast (and most of you probably know why). I toyed with the idea of putting a really big name actor in this spot like a Jesse Eisenberg or a Seth Rogen, purely for shock value, but I really wanted to put Rob Benedict in this list somewhere. I really enjoy him when he is on Supernatural and he is hilarious in Waiting. I had him as both Richie and Eddie until I came up with my final picks...so Stan it is.
So there you have it... my picks for the Adult Cast of the Losers Club. Do you agree with any of my choices? Do you have better picks in mind for your Lucky 7? Please feel free to share them with us. We would love to hear your opinions. Leave your list in a comment below or on our FaceBook page.
