The word is coulrophobia, meaning “fear of clowns.” And this is where it will begin for each of you.

Of all King’s dark creations, Pennywise is his most terrifying. A shape-shifting, ageless demon, he is a vision of pure evil, able to use each person’s worst fears against them.

Amidst a thunderous storm, George Denbrough chases his newspaper boat down the street and watches it fall into a gutter.  From the gutter’s depths, a clown pops his head up and offers the boat back...along with a red balloon. George reaches out his hand and the clown shows his true monstrous form – and rips the boy’s arm off.

Pennywise continues to hunt. A group of outcast children, “The Losers Club,” investigates the disappearances and discover a pattern – a spate of children missing, every twenty years. They vow to fight the monster, but first, they must conquer their own fears.

Last brought to the screen in the terrifying 1990 miniseries adaptation, IT returns to bring coulrophobia to a modern audience.  Planned as a duology, the Losers will return next year to face Pennywise again, next time as adults.

The King of Horror

The Best And Worst Of Stephen King Adaptations

Worst

The Lawnmower Man (1992)
Legally disowned by King. A mentally-challenged lawn carer is transformed into a genius psychotic monster….through virtual reality!

Maximum Overdrive (1986)
Directed by King. Machinery comes to life and destroys humans. 18-wheeler trucks, bread knives, hair dryers…the threats are endless!

Best

The Mist (2007)
This b-movie about small-town folk terrorised by horrors in the mist has one of the bravest film endings in history (even if King’s was quite different).

The Shining (1980)
Kubrick’s simmering thriller is widely regarded as the greatest King adaptation. Despite Jack Nicholson’s legendary performance, King hated it. But he’s the only one…

Carrie (1976, 2013)
So good they adapted it twice! Puberty, a fundamentalist mother, and spiteful peers in a telekinetic classic, with added CGI gloss in 2013’s reboot.