Jay Ryan Cast as Adult Ben in ‘IT: Chapter Two’

The Losers’ Club in IT: Chapter Two has almost been completely assembled, with Jay Ryan (Beauty and the Beast, Top of the Lake) snagging the role of the adult Ben Hanscom in the second part of the Stephen King adaptation. The shoot is expected to begin this summer with a September 6, 2019 release date.

Ryan joins the reported Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, and Bill Hader, who will be playing the adult Beverly, Bill, and Richie, respectively. Actor James Ransone took to Twitter to claim he was portraying the adult Eddie in the film, though he later deleted the tweet with no official confirmation of the casting. Andy Bean will play the adult Stanley Uris. Bill Skarsgard will be returning to the film to portray Pennywise the Dancing Clown, in addition to the young cast from the previous film reprising their roles.

Jeremy Ray Taylor played Ben in the 2017 adaptation of the film, directed by Andy Muschietti. The filmmaker is returning to direct the follow-up film.

In King’s novel, a group of children is tormented by an otherworldly threat lurking the town of Derry, Maine. The kids confront the threat, thinking they’ve solved all their problems, only for those problems to surface again 27 years later.

The only member of the Losers’ Club that has yet to be cast is Mike, with few rumors circulating about potential actors. Chosen Jacobs previously stated he’d like to see Chadwick Boseman play the adult version of his character, though Boseman’s commitments to the Marvel Cinematic Universe might prevent him from joining the production.

One reason that the production might have difficulty casting an adult Mike is that Muschietti has stated he planned to deviate drastically from King’s novel.

In the book, all of the members of the Losers’ Club eventually move away from Derry, with Mike staying behind to keep an eye out for clues that could hint that “IT” has returned. Muschietti has shared that he aimed to make Mike a drug addict, as his time in Derry resulted in difficulties coping with the small town while living in fear that the otherworldly entity could return.

The original story depicted Mike as a more heroic figure, accepting the duty of becoming a historian to use as many clues as he can uncover to fight the being were it to emerge. Understandably, some fans are disappointed with the planned change for the character.

IT: Chapter Two lands in theaters on September 7, 2019.

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[H/T Deadline]