'It: Chapter Two' Early Reactions Are In

The Losers' Club members return as adults, including a scene-stealing Bill Hader.

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We're now just days (though certainly still far too many of them) away from the theatrical release of It: Chapter Two, which sees the revered Losers' Club facing down some childhood trauma. As such, early screening reactions have started rolling in right on time.

The sequel from director Andy Muschietti, who last cracked the pages of Stephen King's literary classic in 2017 to the eventual tune of $700 million worldwide, has been touted as a worthy sequel to Chapter One that's arguably stronger than its predecessor in terms of outright horror.

While some early viewers took small issue with matters of pacing and overall length, the general pre-release consensus is that Muschietti's pair of It films collectively mark the extremely rare feat of a King adaptation that actually captures the iconic writer's voice.

Bill Hader, who plays a grown-up version of Richie Tozier, has also notably received specific praise for his frequently scene-stealing performance.

Really enjoyed #ITChapterTwo which serves as the perfect bookend to Chapter One. Some great shocks and scares with the young and old cast. Bill Hader absolutely steals the movie, which balances heartfelt emotion with creepy jump scares galore. @joblocom

— Arctic Ninja (@arcticninjapaul) August 21, 2019

#ITChapterTwo is a terrific companion to #ITChapterOne. Similar vibes, great ensemble chemistry w/ a nice mix of humor and horror. Part 2 plays heavier in tone, dealing w/ defeating the burden of childhood trauma, & I definitely teared up at the very end. Bill Hader steals it pic.twitter.com/bjiwtJufNQ

— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) August 21, 2019

So #ITChapterTwo was pretty damn great & the ending left me in tears. There are some excellent set pieces (finale had me holding my breath at times) that got under my skin & I think the adult Losers are awesome. Relies a bit too much on flashbacks tho but fans should be happy.🎈 pic.twitter.com/UKDf0frOTg

— Heatherface Wixson (@MMEFXBook VOL 2 - out 10/26!) (@thehorrorchick) August 21, 2019

#ITChapterTwo is awesome. The adult cast is perfect and loved the way the film mixes in the old and new. I don't want to say too much because most of you are going to see it. Congrats to everyone that worked on it for a job well done. pic.twitter.com/b8yFZe3FzU

— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) August 21, 2019

#ITChapterTwo is big and ambitious and can't *quite* handle the weight of its aspirations, but it's still a fine piece of heartfelt horror. The parts that work, work REALLY well and Bill Hader is every-bit the scene-stealing standout we all hoped he'd be.

— Haleigh Foutch (@HaleighFoutch) August 21, 2019

For the most part I liked IT CHAPTER TWO. First half (of this pretty long movie!) is great. And the new adult cast is stellar. Second half isn’t as tight. And overall Chapter Two isn’t as tight as the first movie.

— Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) August 21, 2019

Several issues aside, this is one of the rare Stephen King adaptations that actually understands King’s voice and successfully translates it to the screen. It captures that unapologetic earnestness mixed with a kind of aw-shucks corniness that King does so well.

— Chris Evangelista (@cevangelista413) August 21, 2019

So, #ITChapterTwo: it's v. good, but not great. I liked it, but didn't LOVE it. First movie is a tough act to follow. TWO is gruesome, strange but rarely scary. Nails important aspects from the book, but feels overlong. Cast is aces, though, & Bill Hader SHOULD be in Oscar convo. pic.twitter.com/1KUZk5TXA1

— Sean O'Connell (@Sean_OConnell) August 21, 2019

Sept. 6 is when the general public will have a chance to craft their own reactionary tweets. The sequel is set 27 years after the events of Chapter One and also stars James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Jay Ryan, Isaiah Mustafa, James Ransone, Andy Bean, and Bill Skarsgard.

Back in February, Chastain let the world know that an unnamed set worker told her during production that a certain sequence in Chapter Two may just boast the "most blood that's ever been in a horror film in a scene."

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