After months of expressing interest on both sides in reteaming for the IT sequel, it looks like Jessica Chastain and Andy Muschietti are reuniting. Variety reports that Chastain, who starred in Muschietti’s 2013 horror film Mama, is in early talks to play an adult Beverly in IT: Chapter Two. Chastain is the first piece of casting to be announced for the sequel outside of the returning child actors and Bill Skarsgard, who will reprise his role as Pennywise.

Variety also notes that Muschietti is expected to return although his deal has not yet closed. Additionally, “Sources stress that negotiations are early and that the script is still being worked on, but both sides have officially begun discussing her coming on to the project.”

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Image via Warner Bros.

For those who are unfamiliar with the book, IT is basically broken down into two halves. The first half, which we saw adapted last year, focused on the kids of Derry, Maine taking down “It”. The sequel picks up thirty years later and follows them as adults who must return to Derry to finish what they started.

The question now becomes what other talent they can sign for the sequel. Chastain is a two-time Oscar nominee, so there should be a level of name recognition when it comes to casting the adult versions of Bill, Ben, Richie, Mike, Eddie, and Stanley. As for Chastain, while nothing has been finalized yet, I assume there will be room in her schedule if they start filming late this year or even early 2019 (depending on the amount of post-production vfx the project requires). Right now, she’s attached to star in a Planes, Trains & Automobiles-type comedy with Octavia Spencer. She’ll be seen later this year in X-Men: Dark Phoenix.

The untitled IT sequel is set to open on September 6, 2019. The first It grossed $700 million worldwide.

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Image via 20th Century Fox
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Image via STXfilms
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Image via EuropaCorp