Will Poulter will be PENNYWISE

variety.com reports that Will Poulter is "in negotiations" to play the evil clown, Pennywise, in the upcoming IT movie.  The movie is not a remake of the mini-series so much as it is a retelling for the big screen.

Justin Kroll at Variety reminds us that the IT project is really two feature film.  Kroll notes, "Fukunaga has been very vocal recently that the latest script will stay true to the King story while also giving the film a new look."

The plan is for the first movie to tell the kids’ story and the second movie to focus on the adults.

About Poulter as Pennywise, Kroll says that New Line originally looked at older actors like Mark Rylance and Ben Mendelsohn to play the evil clown.  However, they decided to "go younger" with Poulter.  Why?  Because Poulter rocked the audition with Fukunaga -- leaving the director unable to say no.

Honestly, Pennywise does seem like the role of a lifetime.  What fun.

comingsoon.net notes taht Will Poulter, best known for his roles in The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader and The Maze Runner.

James Franco to Star in 11/22/63

variety.com reports that James Franco will star in the Hulu mini-series 11.22.63.  Elizabeth Wagmeister notes that not only will Franco star in the series, but he is also set serve as a producer on the miniseries.  The program is set to be nine hours.  Franco will play the lead role of Jake Epping.

Hulu Takes On 11/22/63

Todd Spangler at variety.com posted news that Hulu has placd a "direct-to-series order for “11/22/63."

Here's the  bullet points:

• The show is anticipated to be a nine-hour miniseries.  
• A release date has  not been announced.
• Executive producers are King, Abrams through his Bad Robot Prods. (“Person of Interest,” “Fringe,” “Lost”), Bridget Carpenter and Bryan Burk. Bad Robot’s Kathy Lingg is co-executive producer, and Athena Wickham is producer.
• Bridget Carpenter will write the teleplay. 

Spangler article notes that in announcing the pact, Stephen King said:

“If I ever wrote a book that cries out for long-form, event-TV programming, ‘11/22/63’ is it. I’m excited that it’s going to happen, and am looking forward to working with J.J. Abrams and the whole Bad Robot team.”

IT to be two movies

photo credit: HERE

Variety reports that the new theatrical version of IT has been making some progress. (Article is HERE)  Warner Brothers has selected Cary Fukunaga and co-write the script with Chase Palmer.  Palmer did the new adaptation of DUNE.

Variety also makes it clear  that Warner Brothers sees this as an important project, writing:

A quarter of Warner-based producers -- Roy Lee, Dan Lin and the team of Seth Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg via their Katz-Smith banner -- are producing the long-in-development project.

The article notes that the book bounces between 1958 and 1985.  Of course, there was earlier talk of moving the action up to the 80's and current -- thus cutting the 50's out.  I hope they stay true to the book on this one!

Kevin Jagernauth writes at The Playlist:

before he gets to telling the tale of about a bunch of bullied kids, a shape-shifting demon clown, and what they have to face 30 years later, Fukunaga will first knock out his exciting HBO series "True Detective" with Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey. We're big fans of Fukunaga, and moreso because, like many of our favorite directors, he's curious about doing things he's never tried before. Fukunaga's take on a King horror story? Yep, we'd love to see it.

VARIETY: King To Appear In Movie WRITERS

Jeff Sneider at Variety has posted an article titled “Lily Collins, Kristen Bell join 'Writers' (Stephen King will also make cameo in Josh Boone feature).”


New director Josh Boone is making an indie picture titled “Writers.”  Variety calls it a “dramedy.”  


Big thanks to the mighty Honk Mafah himself!