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We Saw the New Trailer and Three Chilling Clips from ‘IT: Chapter Two’ at ScareDiego! #SDCC

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Outside the weird and wonderful world of San Diego Comic-Con is ScareDiego, the event that takes us inside the world of horror. Presented by Warner Bros and New Line, ScareDiego 2019 promised an exclusive first look at new footage for IT: Chapter Two and a panel discussion with the cast of the highly anticipated follow up to 2017’s IT. An unlikely host in Conan O’Brien (or perhaps not, as a self-confessed nerd) takes control of the horror night of nights, which aimed to get us hyped for what New Line has in store for the horror fans out there.

An ominous red and black theme fills the Spreckles theater, and a red balloon isn’t hard to find. IT: Chapter Two is New Line’s hero for 2019 and they are not afraid to show it.

First up – the new trailer. It’s incredible footage and a great insight into the terrifying end to the IT story. You’ll get to see it first thing Thursday morning, but I will say this – the last glimpse at Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise will chill you. To. The. Bone. It’s definitely the best trailer yet, so put on those headphones and immerse yourself into the world of Derry when it hits the internet.

The focus tonight is on the Losers’ Club as adults, with all 7 actors and director Andy Muschietti present to show off some footage of the upcoming flick, and chat about what went into making the movie.

Bill Hader (Richie Tozier), Jessica Chastain (Beverley Marsh), Isaiah Mustafa (Mike Hanlon), James McAvoy (Bill Denbrough), James Ransone (Eddie Kaspbrak), Jay Ryan (Ben Hanscom) and Andy Bean (Stanley Uris) all bear a striking resemblance to their younger counterparts, and if you had any doubts about any of the actors cast, I can promise you that those worries will soon be washed away in a tidal wave of blood – Muschietti has made incredible choices.

Muschietti notes to Conan that the kids were all cast first, and during first production played with names for the adults.

Bill Hader, a well known comic actor, notes he had to find the ability to act scared without looking comical, which has the audience in stitches. On set, he entertained himself imitating Andy – and all the other cast for that matter. He notes that working with Skarsgard was one of the best acting experiences ever.

Jessica Chastain, who is looking absolutely stunning in a skirt that prevents her from taking a seat, relays her love of horror films. During filming, she got to be covered in blood, which she likens to the amount of blood seen in Carrie. And on the topic of horror films, Jay Ryan shares anecdotes of being brought up on horror, with Friday Fright Nights being a tradition in his family.

Of course, we’re all wondering how much training you need to do to run away from a clown, in which Isaiah Mustafa confirms he, as an athlete, knows how to train effectively for such a scenario. Not one to make statements without sufficient evidence, he shows us some moves on how he warmed up. Unfortunately for James McAvoy, the physical elements resulted in some injuries, developing tendinitis that lasted for 6 months following. It might just me, but I tend to forget he’s Scottish, until the strong accent comes out.

All cast declare themselves as Stephen King fans, with James Ransone reading “IT” after the miniseries. Hader declares his love for “Salem’s Lot” to the audience’s delight, and Andy Bean has the opinion that “The Shining” should never be remade again – an interesting opinion given King’s own dislike of the film.

They all found Bill Skarsgard quite terrifying and a fantastic actor that could transition from being such a nice guy to a horror icon perfectly. It’s quite comical to think of all the traits that Skarsgard can bring out to completely embody a terrifying and murderous clown, but in Hader’s words – “he was born to play Pennywise.

They also played a second clip – the Losers’ are reuniting after 27 years. Six of the losers, sans Stanley, meet at the Jade of the Orient restaurant. While we’ve been sworn to secrecy of what’s within the scenes shown tonight, I can promise you that this scene really highlights each of the character’s unique traits, and cements the fact that Muschietti has chosen the most incredible cast. As the Losers’ Club reunite over plenty of alcohol, the terrors of Derry start coming back to them all and they start questioning why they came back after all these years.

A third clip takes place in a funhouse during the Derry festival. Bill (McAvoy) is trying to save a kid who used to live in his house from Pennywise. “Fun” in this case is being used purely in an ironic sense of course, as we – the audience – most likely all have shivers down our respective spines. We got a way better look at the terror of Pennywise here, as he hunts the young boy. Clown phobics and claustrophobics beware! Ultimately it’s a really a clever homage to the guilt that Bill continues to feel for the death of his brother Georgie.

Finally, a fourth(!) and final clip sees the adults return to the terrors that lie within the Neibolt House to, in Ritchie’s words, “kill this fucking clown”. Fans will know the significance of the house, and the fact that it’s only the children of Derry that can see it. Which is why, as adults, it’s so poignant that the Losers’ Club can still locate it after all these years. This is the beginning of the climax of the film, for the Losers’ Club to face Pennywise and hopefully end his reign of terror.

All in all, IT: Chapter Two promises to be a thrilling and exciting closing to the story, with Muschietti delivering some insane new terrors, fabulous new actors and an incredible horror film to end Pennywise’s narrative.

IT: Chapter Two comes up from the sewers September 6th.

Interviews

“Chucky” – Devon Sawa & Don Mancini Discuss That Ultra-Bloody Homage to ‘The Shining’

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Chucky

Only one episode remains in Season 3 of “Chucky,” and what a bloody road it’s been so far, especially for actor Devon Sawa. The actor has now officially died twice on screen this season, pulling double duty as President James Collins and body double Randall Jenkins.

If you thought Chucky’s ruthless eye-gouging of the President was bloody, this week’s Episode 7 traps Randall Jenkins in an elevator that feels straight out of an iconic horror classic.

Bloody Disgusting spoke with series creator Don Mancini and actor Devon Sawa about that ultra-bloody death sequence and how the actor inspires Mancini’s writing on the series. 

Mancini explains, “Devon’s a bit of a muse. Idle Hands and Final Destination is where my Devon Sawa fandom started, like a lot of people; although yours may have started with CasperI was a bit too old for that. But it’s really just about how I love writing for actors that I respect and then know. So, it’s like having worked with Devon for three years now, I’m just always thinking, ‘Oh, what would be a fun thing to throw his way that would be unexpected and different that he hasn’t done?’ That’s really what motivates me.”

For Sawa, “Chucky is an actor’s dream in that the series gives him not one but multiple roles to sink his teeth into, often within the same season. But the actor is also a huge horror fan, and Season 3: Part 2 gives him the opportunity to pay homage to a classic: Kubrick’s The Shining.

Devon Sawa trapped in elevator in "Chucky"

CHUCKY — “There Will Be Blood” Episode 307 — Pictured in this screengrab: (l-r) Devon Sawa as President James Collins, K.C. Collins as Coop — (Photo by: SYFY)

“Collectively, it’s just amazing to put on the different outfits, to do the hair differently, to get different types of dialogue, Sawa says of working on the series. “The elevator scene, it’s like being a kid again. I was up to my eyeballs in blood, and it felt very Kubrick. Everybody there was having such a good time, and we were all doing this cool horror stuff, and it felt amazing. It really was a good day.”

Sawa elaborates on being submerged in so much blood, “It was uncomfortable, cold, and sticky, and it got in my ears and my nose. But it was well worth it. I didn’t complain once. I was like, ‘This is why I do what I do, to do scenes like this, the scenes that I grew up watching on VHS cassette, and now we’re doing it in HD, and it’s all so cool.

It’s always the characters and the actors behind them that matter most to Mancini, even when he delights in coming up with inventive kills and incorporating horror references. And he’s killed Devon Sawa’s characters often. Could future seasons top the record of on-screen Sawa deaths?

“Well, I guess we did it twice in season one and once in season two, Mancini counts. “So yeah, I guess I would have to up the ante next season. I’ll really be juggling a lot of falls. But I think it’s hopefully as much about quality as quantity. I want to give him a good role that he’s going to enjoy sinking his teeth into as an actor. It’s not just about the deaths.”

Sawa adds, “Don’s never really talked about how many times could we kill you. He’s always talking about, ‘How can I make this death better,’ and that’s what I think excites him is how he can top each death. The electricity, to me blowing up to, obviously in this season, the eyes and with the elevator, which was my favorite one to shoot. So if it goes on, we’ll see if he could top the deaths.”

Devon Sawa as dead President James Collins in Chucky season three

CHUCKY — “Death Becomes Her” Episode 305 — Pictured in this screengrab: Devon Sawa as James Collins — (Photo by: SYFY)

The actor has played a handful of distinctly different characters since the series launch, each one meeting a grisly end thanks to Chucky. And Season 3 gave Sawa his favorite characters yet.

“I would say the second one was a lot of fun to shoot, the actor says of Randall Jenkins. “The President was great. I liked playing the President. He was the most grounded, I hope, of all the characters. I did like playing him a lot.” Mancini adds, “He’s grounded, but he’s also really traumatized, and I thought you did that really well, too.”

The series creator also reveals a surprise correlation between President James Collins’ character arc and a ’90s horror favorite.

I saw Devon’s role as the president in Season 3; he’s very Kennedy-esque, Mancini explains. “But then given the supernatural plot turns that happen, to me, the analogy is Michelle Pfeiffer in What Lies Beneath, the character that is seeing these weird little things happening around the house that is starting to screw with his sanity and he starts to insist, ‘I’m seeing a ghost, and his spouse thinks he’s nuts. So I always like that. That’s Michelle Pfeiffer in What Lies Beneathwhich is a movie I love.”

The finale of  “Chucky” Season 3: Part 2 airs Wednesday, May 1 on USA & SYFY.

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