IT and IT Chapter Two feature Bill Skarsgard’s more vicious take on Pennywise, but both films also include tributes to Tim Curry’s 1990 version. Published in 1986, IT was a huge success upon release, and has ended up being regarded as one of Stephen King’s best works of all time, perhaps his very best. While the ending of the story somewhat falls prey to King’s famous difficulty writing endings, and the infamous “sewer orgy” still sticks out like a sore thumb, the majority of IT is a truly epic tale of childhood trauma and the bonds of true friendship, all spiced up with an ancient alien shape-shifter that loves pretending to be a clown.
IT is still one of King’s best-sellers to this day, but the book’s profile has been sent back into the stratosphere by its two recent movie adaptations: IT in 2017 and IT Chapter Two in 2019. IT stands as the highest-grossing horror film of all time, and Chapter Two, while not quite as beloved, still earned mostly good reviews and made a tidy profit at the box office.
Of course, IT’s first screen adaptation came not in theaters but in living rooms, in the form of a two-part 1990 ABC miniseries. The miniseries suffers in hindsight due to its low budget and content restrictions, but one aspect that remains cherished by most is Tim Curry’s legendary performance as Pennywise, which received shout outs in both theatrical IT films.
How IT Chapter 1 & 2 Pay Tribute to Tim Curry’s Pennywise
While differing adaptations of the same story and different actors who’ve played the same role will sometimes lead to a divided fanbase, for the most part, IT fans tend to like parts of both versions. Some things the miniseries does well, and other things the films do. When it comes to Pennywise performances, there really isn’t much point to comparing Tim Curry and Bill Skarsgard, as both play the iconic monster in very different ways. This was by design, as Skarsgard said publicly that he set out not to echo any of Curry’s trademarks.
In IT Chapter One, Curry’s Pennywise does receive a clever tribute though. When Richie ends up locked inside a room full of clown dolls, one of them is wearing the hair, makeup, and wardrobe of Curry’s 1990 Pennywise. In IT Chapter Two, Curry actually gets two references, the first when Bill heads into a carnival funhouse to try and save a kid being targeted by Pennywise, and runs past hanging clown obstacles that just like Pennywise from the miniseries. The second is a reference made via dialogue, when Ben has a flashback to Pennywise pretending to be Beverly, and she tells him “kiss me, fat boy.” Curry’s Pennywise said the same thing to adult Ben in the miniseries, although that version was far more comical. When it comes to Pennywise, there’s definitely more than enough room for both Curry and Skarsgard.
More: Everything Pennywise Transforms Into In IT Chapter One & Two
