The hype for IT is getting a little too real. Andy Muschietti's adaptation of the beloved Stephen King novel is shaping up to be a horror hit of epic proportions: audiences are clamoring for the film (a recent trailer shattered previous view records), all signs point to the studio being happy with the film, and now, it Muschietti has stated that he will return for a sequel that will pick up with the adult half of King's story and bring the saga of IT to a close.

When Variety asked the director point blank if there would be two films, here's what he said,

"We are doing that. We’ll probably have a script for the second part in January. Ideally, we would start prep in March. Part one is only about the kids. Part two is about these characters 30 years later as adults, with flashbacks to 1989 when they were kids."

That's good news in a lot of ways. For one thing, it shows a lot of confidence on his part, which translates to confidence on the studio's part. You don't just go around confirming sequels willy nilly. It's also good to hear that they've already got a production schedule in mind, and the plan is to start prepping for production early next year. And of course, for any fan of King's novel, it's good to know that we'll get to see the sprawling story told in full rather than just the half of the children.

For more of the latest IT news, check out our recent coverage in the links below. The film arrives in theaters on September 8.

• ‘IT’ Images Show off the Losers While Concept Art Teases the Final Confrontation
• Horror Haul: ‘It’ Officially Rated R; Uncut 35mm ‘Suspiria’ Print to Screen Across the U.S.
• Horror Haul: Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise Made Children Cry on Set, ‘Amityville: The Awakening’ Pulled from Release Calendar
• New ‘It’ Trailer Promises Further Trouble for the Beleaguered Clown Community
• Collider Nightmares: First Trailer for Stephen King’s ‘IT’; ‘The Dark Tower’ Release Date Moved