It: Chapter Two (2019)

Last updated:
August 26, 2025

Stephen King’s It: Chapter Two (2019), directed by Andy Muschietti, is the epic conclusion to the story of the Losers’ Club and their battle against the shape-shifting evil known as Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Taking place 27 years after the first film, it explores trauma, memory, and the power of unity while blending horror with heartfelt emotion.

Table of Contents

Detailed Summary

Return to Derry

The film begins with a brutal hate crime in Derry, Maine, reminding us that the town remains poisoned by Pennywise’s presence. Soon after, Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård) re-emerges, targeting new victims. Mike Hanlon (Isaiah Mustafa), the only member of the Losers’ Club who stayed in Derry, realizes It has returned. He calls the rest of the Losers back to honor their childhood promise to finish Pennywise once and for all.

The Losers Reunite

The group—Bill (James McAvoy), Beverly (Jessica Chastain), Richie (Bill Hader), Eddie (James Ransone), Ben (Jay Ryan), and Stanley (Andy Bean)—reunite at a Chinese restaurant. Their laughter and camaraderie quickly shift into horror as the fortune cookies unleash grotesque visions. Stanley, unable to face the horror again, tragically dies by suicide before the reunion.

Splintered Journeys and Haunted Memories

Mike explains that defeating It requires a ritual known as the “Ritual of Chüd,” which he learned from a Native American tribe. To complete it, each member must recover a personal token from their past. This leads to deeply emotional solo journeys:

Bill returns to his childhood home and confronts guilt over his brother Georgie’s death.
Beverly relives abuse from her father and recalls her bond with Ben.
Ben remembers carving his initials with Beverly’s in school.
Richie is forced to face his repressed feelings and fears of rejection.
Eddie confronts his fear of disease and weakness, standing up to Pennywise’s manipulations.

These sequences highlight how trauma lingers into adulthood but also how courage can resurface.

Descent Into the Sewers

The Losers regroup, carrying their tokens into the sewers beneath Derry, where Pennywise lurks. The ritual begins, but It twists it into chaos, forcing them into terrifying hallucinations. Each member must battle personal fears, while Pennywise uses their weaknesses to tear them apart.

Movie Ending

The climax takes place in Pennywise’s lair. The Losers confront him in his monstrous final form, a spider-like entity fused with the clown’s head. They realize physical strength alone cannot destroy him. Instead, they weaken Pennywise by belittling him—calling out his true nature as small, powerless, and nothing more than a manifestation of fear.

As they strip him of his psychological power, Pennywise shrinks into a pitiful, fragile creature. They tear out his heart and destroy it together, finally ending the cycle of terror. The lair collapses, and the Losers narrowly escape.

In the aftermath:

The survivors reflect on their journey, mourning Eddie, who dies from his injuries. His death hits Richie especially hard, reinforcing subtle hints about Richie’s deep feelings for him.
Beverly and Ben confess their love for one another, finding healing and hope.
Bill overcomes his guilt over Georgie’s death, writing with newfound confidence.
Mike decides to finally leave Derry, free for the first time in decades.
The film closes with a touching letter from Stanley, explaining his suicide as an act of sacrifice to give his friends the strength to fight Pennywise without him. It’s both heartbreaking and uplifting, underlining themes of friendship and unity.

Are There Post-Credits Scenes?

No, It: Chapter Two does not have a post-credits scene. The film closes definitively, with Pennywise defeated and the story of the Losers’ Club complete. This choice reinforces the finality of the ending, rather than teasing future installments.

Type of Movie

It: Chapter Two is a supernatural horror film with strong elements of drama, psychological horror, and coming-of-age themes. While frightening, it focuses equally on character growth and the emotional scars of childhood trauma.

Cast

Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise
James McAvoy as Bill Denbrough
Jessica Chastain as Beverly Marsh
Bill Hader as Richie Tozier
James Ransone as Eddie Kaspbrak
Jay Ryan as Ben Hanscom
Isaiah Mustafa as Mike Hanlon
Andy Bean as Stanley Uris
Jaeden Martell, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Wyatt Oleff, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Chosen Jacobs, and Jack Dylan Grazer reprise their roles as the younger versions of the Losers’ Club.

Film Music and Composer

The score was composed by Benjamin Wallfisch, who also scored It (2017). His music blends eerie atmospherics, unsettling dissonance, and emotional themes to balance horror and heartfelt nostalgia.

Filming Locations

The movie was filmed primarily in Toronto, Canada and surrounding areas, which stood in for the fictional town of Derry, Maine. Key locations included:

Port Hope, Ontario as the main setting of Derry.
Abandoned structures and custom-built sewer sets for Pennywise’s lair.
Practical town environments contributed to the grounded, lived-in feeling of Derry, making the horror more relatable.

Awards and Nominations

The film didn’t win major awards but received nominations for its makeup effects, visual effects, and Bill Hader’s performance (often praised as the standout of the film).

Behind the Scenes Insights

Bill Skarsgård admitted he struggled to shake off Pennywise after filming, as the role was emotionally draining.
Jessica Chastain insisted on using 4,500 gallons of fake blood for Beverly’s iconic bathroom scene—one of the bloodiest sequences in horror history.
Bill Hader initially didn’t want to take the role of Richie but was convinced by Finn Wolfhard, his younger counterpart from the first film.
Many of the child actors were digitally de-aged in flashbacks, as they had grown noticeably since It (2017).

Inspirations and References

The film is adapted from Stephen King’s novel It (1986). Director Muschietti incorporated modern updates but kept core elements from the book. King himself appears in a cameo as a shopkeeper who sells Bill back his old bike, Silver.

Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes

Several deleted scenes focused on expanding the Losers’ personal lives. One included more of Bill grieving Georgie. Another extended Pennywise’s terrorization of townspeople. No alternate ending was filmed—the chosen conclusion matched Muschietti’s vision of closure.

Book Adaptations and Differences

Differences from the novel include:

In the book, the Ritual of Chüd involves a more mystical, metaphysical battle of wills, whereas the film simplifies it into a psychological confrontation.
The novel’s ending is more abstract and cosmic, involving a battle with the “Macroverse” being known as the Turtle. The film drops this in favor of a more emotional, grounded resolution.
Richie’s sexuality is hinted at in the film but not made explicit in the novel.

Memorable Scenes and Quotes

Key Scenes

The opening hate crime sequence, brutally establishing the darkness in Derry.
The Losers’ terrifying Chinese restaurant reunion.
Beverly drowning in blood in the bathroom.
Richie’s emotional breakdown after Eddie’s death.
Pennywise taunting the Losers with visions of their childhood fears.

Iconic Quotes

Pennywise: “For 27 years, I dreamt of you. I craved you. I’ve missed you!”
Stanley (in his letter): “Sometimes we are stronger than we know.”
Richie: “You’re braver than you think.”

Easter Eggs and Hidden Details

Stephen King’s cameo selling Bill his bike is a playful nod to his role as author and creator.
The “Paul Bunyan statue” attack on Richie comes directly from the novel.
The scar on Bill’s hand from their childhood blood oath is shown again, symbolizing their unbreakable bond.

Trivia

Bill Hader admitted he never watched horror films before joining the project.
Jaeden Martell (young Bill) later starred in The Lodge and Knives Out, continuing his horror/genre career.
Director Andy Muschietti originally wanted the film to be close to 4 hours long, but the runtime was cut to just under 3 hours.

Why Watch?

It: Chapter Two is more than a horror film—it’s about confronting trauma, friendship, and the resilience of memory. It offers scares, emotional depth, and a satisfying conclusion to Stephen King’s most iconic story.

It: Chapter Two (2019)