Who Will Play Pennywise the Clown in Stephen King's IT?

Warner Bros.' adaptation ofStephen King’s timeless novelIThas had more than its fair share of ups and downs, but now it seems the project is finally on the right track.Andres Muschiettistepped in last year to replace the departingCary Fukunaga, who had been attached since 2012. And the studio set aSeptember 8, 2017release date in April for the project. Today we have word that the filmmaker is actively casting for the iconic clownPennywise, with one new contender entering the mix.

AfterCary Fukunagaleft the project, it wasn’t clear ifWill Poulter, who had already come aboard to play Pennywise, was staying on board or not. A new report fromBloody-Disgustingreveals thatAndres Muschiettiis holding his own auditions for the role, which include make-up tests. One contender that has read for Pennywise isKirk Acevedo(Dawn of the Planet of the Apes), although there are several other unspecified actors reading for the part.

It isn’t known when a final decision on who will play Pennywise will be made, or when production will actually begin. We reported last May that the movie will be shot in New York City, but another report from February revealed that the adaptation will be R-rated, with shooting now set to begin in California at some point later this year. ProducerRoy Leeteased in that report that they were close to locking down the script, confirming the story will still be told over two movies, as was planned whenCary Fukunagawas at the helm.

ITis based onStephen King’siconic bookthat follows a group of seven children who were terrorized by the eponymous being that exploits the fears and phobias of its victims in order to disguise itself while hunting its prey. The first movie will focus on the children, with the second focusing on the same characters as adults, as they reunite to defeatITonce and for all.Gary Dobermanwrote the most recent draft of the script.

Kirk Acevedois best known for his work on the small screen in the miniseriesBand of Brothersand hit shows likeOz,Fringeand the current Syfy series12 Monkeys. He most recently appeared on the big screen in the 2014 blockbustersDawn of the Planet of the Apes. We’ll be sure to keep you posted with more updates on theITcasting process as soon as new details come in.