Tommy Lee Wallace’s miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s It has gradually garnered ‘cult hit’ status, and as such it’s no surprise that a remake has been mooted, with True Detective director Cary Fukunaga being attached. Speaking exclusively to SciFiNow, it seems that many of the original cast agree.
“I love his style. I’m a big fan, and if I think there’s anybody out there who could do that job justice it would be Fukunaga,” considers Brandon Crane, who played ‘Losers Club’ member Ben Hanscom. “There’s so much that we couldn’t do [in our show] with regards to the content. I think you’d end up with a two-part feature that will be much closer to the book.”
Annette O’Toole, who played sole female member of the gang Beverly Marsh, agrees. “True Detective was incredible, and so I think it’s in good hands and that’s the kind of intelligence and attention to the feel of it that he will bring,” adds O’Toole.
Whatever happens with the remake, we will always have Tommy Lee Wallace’s adaptation, and while the climax may be somewhat unavoidably unsatisfying, it is nostalgically remembered for its strengths including its unforgettably gruesome Pennywise portrayal, its memorably shocking moments of on-screen visceral horror and its thoroughly convincing portrayal of camaraderie from both generations of The Losers Club.
“I was, and am, very, very proud of It,” says Wallace. “More time and more money would’ve helped in the visual effects department, but I think we did okay with what we had, and what we had, above all else, was a brilliant cast and brilliant material. Stephen King and I corresponded after the fact, and he felt as I did about the show’s strengths and weaknesses, but overall was very complimentary.”
You can buy Stephen King’s It in paperback for £6.99 at Amazon.co.uk. Keep up with the latest genre news with the new issue of SciFiNow.
