Stephen King’s $473M Horror Adaptation Becomes Netflix Hit

It Chapter 2 has become a streaming hit on Netflix in the U.S. Based on the 1986 horror novel by author Stephen King, the sequel serves as a follow-up to It (2017), with both films having been directed by Andy Muschietti. The first It film follows a group of kids living in Derry, Maine, as they face off against a terrifying, shape-shifting clown called Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård), while the sequel follows these same characters 27 years later as they return to their hometown. Both films were box office successes, with the sequel grossing $473 million worldwide.

Now, new Netflix data reveals that It Chapter 2 ranks as the seventh most popular movie on the streamer in the U.S. for the week of September 30 to October 6. Unlike with the global chart, the U.S. chart doesn’t include watch data for each of the top 10 titles, but the It sequel comes ahead of films like 2 Guns (2013), Robin Hood (2018), and Halloween (2018). The full top 10 list is included below, with the number one movie in the U.S. being The Garfield Movie (2024):

Why You Should Watch It Chapter 2

The Sequel Is A Worthy Successor To It

2017’s It was well-received critically and commercially, and currently sports an impressive 85% critics score and 84% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film was also a major box office hit, grossing $702.8 million worldwide on a $35 million budget. The sequel didn’t quite reach these same heights, but it is still undoubtedly a success and a worthy conclusion to the story. It Chapter 2‘s Rotten Tomatoes score is a respectable 62%, but it’s with general movie-goers that the film really succeeded, with the audience score coming in higher at 78%.

Muschietti’s sequel was also made on a larger budget of $79 million, and it generally features more spectacle and some bigger-name actors. The It Chapter 2 cast, for example, features Bill Hader, Jessica Chastain, and James McAvoy, among others, with Skarsgård returning as Pennywise. Now is also a great time to watch the It sequel because the It: Welcome to Derry prequel show is due to release in 2025, with a story that takes place in the 1960s and leads up to the events of the first film.

Economically, the horror genre makes a lot of sense for studios. Films in this genre can often be made on relatively low budgets with reasonable expectations that they’ll turn a profit. It Chapter 2 is most definitely not made on a low budget, however, and it makes for an interesting change purely from a production value and spectacle standpoint. The VFX used to bring Pennywise and his different forms to life are remarkably effective, and there are some blockbuster-sized horror sequences in the movie that just wouldn’t be possible if the film was instead made for $15 million.

How It Chapter 2 Connects To It: Welcome To Derry

The Two Titles Have Elements In Common

Muschietti was key to bringing both It films to life, and he’s also responsible for developing It: Welcome to Derry alongside Barbara Muschietii and Jason Fuchs. Muschietti will direct multiple episodes of the show, including the pilot, with Fuchs having taken on writing duties. The prequel will consist of nine episodes in total, and it seemingly isn’t being billed as a limited series, meaning there is a potential for a season 2.

As far as cast, in addition to Skarsgård’s Pennywise, It: Welcome to Derry stars Madeleine Stowe, James Remar, Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Peter Outerbridge, Kimberly Guerrero, Tyner Rushing, and Morningstar Angeline. Though the first official trailer for the show hasn’t yet been released, HBO did include footage from It: Welcome to Derry in a look ahead at their 2025 slate. The footage is brief, but shots of multiple characters covered in blood suggest the series will be continuing the graphic violence featured in both It and It Chapter 2.

Our Take On It Chapter 2’s Streaming Success

It’s One Of The Better Recent Stephen King Adaptations

Netflix’s U.S. top 10 for the week of September 30 features two horror movies, and this number is sure to grow in the coming weeks as Halloween approaches. While It Chapter 2 makes for spooky Halloween viewing on its own, it obviously also pairs well with the first film, with the pair making for an effective decades-spanning exploration of one monster’s devastating impact on a town and a few key citizens.

The two It movies remain some of the biggest King adaptation successes in recent years, with some other titles, such as Children of the Corn (2020) and Firestarter (2022) coming and going with little fanfare. It remains to be seen whether It Chapter 2 will rise or fall on the U.S. Netflix top 10 chart in the coming weeks, but subscribers on the streamer are evidently gearing up for a horror-filled October.

Source: Netflix

Every 27 years, evil revisits the town of Derry, Maine. It: Chapter Two brings the characters—who have long since gone their separate ways—back together as adults, nearly three decades after the events of the first film. Together, the reunited Losers Club might have a chance to stop Pennywise once and for all.

Director

Andres Muschietti

Release Date

September 6, 2019

Studio(s)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributor(s)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Writers

Gary Dauberman

Runtime

169 minutes

Franchise(s)

IT

Budget

$79 million

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