Bill Hader Paid Tribute to The Thing in IT CHAPTER TWO

Stephen King's IT novel focused on a group of friends who met in the '50s and reunited in the [...]

Stephen King's IT novel focused on a group of friends who met in the '50s and reunited in the '80s, while the 2017 adaptation of the story shifted the timeline forward, focusing on the Losers' Club meeting in the '80s while IT CHAPTER TWO will take place in the present day. The film featured references to pop culture of the time, including famous films and musical groups. While the upcoming sequel will feature flashback scenes set in the '80s, actor Bill Hader revealed that one sequence saw him channeling John Carpenter's The Thing, with his improvised homage making it into the final cut.

At an IT CHAPTER TWO event at San Diego Comic-Con, the film's cast was in attendance to discuss the sequel, with Hader revealing that, while recording additional dialogue for the film, he was encouraged to improvise various reactions. One of those reactions was to say, "You've got to be fucking kidding," a line made famous in The Thing, which was ultimately used in the sequel. Hader plays Richie Tozier, who was played by Finn Wolfhard in the first film.

Carpenter's film is an adaptation of the novella Who Goes There?, which was previously adapted into a film in 1951, The Thing from Another World. The story focuses on an Antarctic research team encountering an alien life form that is able to perfectly replicate living creatures. Cut off from the rest of the world, the researchers must discover who truly remains human to prevent the otherworldly "Thing" from reaching the mainland.

One sequence in the Carpenter film sees the researchers attempting to revive a colleague, only for his chest cavity to open up and sever the limbs of another researcher. When attempting to use a flamethrower on the creature, its head detaches from its body to hide, confirming the monstrous ways in which the creature can adapt to protect itself. The famous line was uttered by Palmer, played by David Clennon.

In IT CHAPTER TWO, 27 years after the Losers' Club defeated Pennywise, he has returned to terrorize the town of Derry once more. Now adults, the Losers have long since gone their separate ways. However, kids are disappearing again, so Mike, the only one of the group to remain in their hometown, calls the others home. Damaged by the experiences of their past, they must each conquer their deepest fears to destroy Pennywise once and for all...putting them directly in the path of the clown that has become deadlier than ever.

IT CHAPTER TWO lands in theaters on September 6th.

Are you excited to see the new film? Let us know in the comments below or hit up @TheWolfman on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!

0comments