Back in May, we reported the disappointing news that Cary Fukunaga (True Detective) was leaving a two-part adaptation of Stephen King’s It over a budget dispute. However, Warner Bros. was still planning to move forward on the diptych films with the first movie focusing on the characters as children, and the second one on characters as adults.
According to THR, Andy Muschietti (Mama) is in talks to helm the new adaptation. Once he signs on, New Line plans to hire a new writer who will tailor the movie to the director’s vision, but will also keep the story in two parts. It’s currently unclear when they now plan to shoot to the film or if Muschietti plans to keep Will Poulter on as Pennywise. Even if the director agrees with Fukunaga’s casting choice for the monstrous shapeshifting clown, there are still scheduling factors to consider.
Mama was a huge hit, but Muschietti’s been slow to move forward on a follow-up feature. He was attached to Universal’s The Mummy reboot for a time, but eventually dropped off over creative differences. In February, he was eyed to develop a Robotech movie, but that directing gig eventually landed with James Wan. Perhaps he’ll finally be the one to get the new It off the ground, and given his horror roots, he’s hopefully a good fit for the job.
