Warning: Minor SPOILERS ahead for IT Chapter Two

Just when you thought the streets of Derry were safe, the trailer for IT Chapter Two has arrived - complete with a creepy old lady, a little boy lurking in the sewers, and many red balloons. Directed by Andy Muschietti, the film is the second part of the story that began in 2017’s IT, an adaptation of the Stephen King novel that proved to be a runaway box office hit, thanks to a stellar young cast and a terrifying new Pennywise the Clown (played by Bill Skarsgård).

IT Chapter Two picks up 27 years after the first movie, with the Losers’ Club reuniting in Derry to fulfil their promise to stop It once and for all. Before they can battle the creature again, however, they must first recover lost memories from their childhoods by exploring the town - an endeavor that will bring them face-to-face with Pennywise and his many forms all over again.

The first trailer for IT Chapter Two begins with a scene where an adult Beverly Marsh (Jessica Chastain) returns to her old home, which is now occupied by an old woman called Mrs. Kersh. However, while Beverly reminisces about the past, it soon becomes clear that Mrs. Kersh may not be who she appears. Here’s our breakdown of the story reveals, secrets, and things you might have missed in the trailer for IT Chapter Two.

The Marshes Don’t Live Here Any More

One detail you may have missed from the very start of the trailer is that when Beverly knocks on the door to her old apartment, the name on the door says “Marsh.” This is the first indication that something isn’t right, as Mrs. Kersh would surely have changed the name on the door after moving in. In the novel, Beverly checks the door again after Mrs. Kersh answers and sees that it says Kersh. Assuming that she must have misread the name, she takes up “Mrs. Kersh” on her invitation to come into the apartment.

Beverly Finds Ben’s Poem

In IT, a lovestruck Ben Hanscom writes a love poem for Beverly on a postcard: “Your hair is winter fire/January embers/My heart burns there too.” The young Beverly apparently stashed this postcard away in a secret hiding place in her old room, to keep it from her abusive father. The adult Beverly finds the postcard from her “secret admirer,” which has been torn into four pieces and then taped back together. In the first movie there was something of a love triangle between Beverly, Ben, and Bill, and we can expect to see that revived in the sequel.

Beverly’s Bruises

Sadly, it looks like the abuse Beverly suffered in her childhood continued into adulthood. In this shot where she’s looking at Ben’s postcard, there are bruises on her left wrist. Assuming that the movie follows the plot of the book, these bruises are from an altercation between Beverly and her abusive husband, Tom (Will Beinbrink), who tries to stop her from leaving for Derry. In the novel, the furious Tom follows Beverly to her home town, and he too falls into the horrible orbit of It.

Pennywise the Dancing Clown Gets a Backstory

It’s most recognizable form is that of Pennywise, a terrifying-looking clown whose appearance is designed to both entice and terrify child victims. As Beverly looks at the photos in Mrs. Kersh’s house, the old lady tells her that her father came to the country with just 14 dollars in his pocket, and joined the circus. Beverly sees an old photo of Pennywise without his make-up on, and realizes too late that she’s wandered into a trap. While this might seem like IT Chapter Two is unwisely giving the dancing clown a backstory (which would contradict the creature’s true origins), it’s clear that this is - like everything else about Mrs. Kersh - a cleverly crafted lie.

(Most Of) The Losers Return to Derry

If you’re counting heads in this trailer, you’ll notice a discrepancy between the scenes set in the past and the scene set in the present day: the original Losers’ Club had seven members, but only six return to Derry. That’s because Stanley Uris, the nervous Rabbi’s son played by Wyatt Oleff in the first movie, can’t bring himself to face It again. In the book, he responds to the call to return to Derry by committing suicide. However, the rest of the Losers’ Club reconvene, with James McAvoy playing the adult Bill Denborough, Bill Hader as Richie Tozier, James Ransone as Eddie Kaspbrak, Jay Ryan as Ben Hanscom, and Isaiah Mustafa as Mike Hanlon.

A Stroll Down Memory Lane

As five of the adult members of the Losers’ Club look into a shop window, they see their younger selves reflected back - perhaps just a metaphor, or perhaps an actual collective vision. A key point in the book is that the Losers’ Club don’t remember everything from their first encounter with It, and they have to explore the town to unlock further terrifying memories. The good news is that this means the young cast from the first movie will continue to play a major role in the sequel.

Georgie is Back to Haunt Bill

Poor little Georgie Denborough was the first victim in IT. He encountered Pennywise while chasing after his toy sailboat, and got his arm bitten off before being dragged into the sewer. In the first movie, It took on Georgie’s form as a way to torment his brother, Bill, and it looks like little Georgie is back in IT Chapter Two to prey on Bill’s grief and guilt. He is shown hiding down in the sewer where he was taken, holding out his hands as if to invite Bill down, while also holding out the sailboat that got him killed.

More Creepy Background Antics

One of the creepiest moments in IT was also one that many people missed upon their first viewing. Ben went to the library to do research on the history of Derry, and an elderly, out-of-focus woman in the background could be seen leering maniacally at him. In the shot where Richie is confronted by the sight of a floating Pennywise it’s easy to focus on his horrified expression, but look in the background and you’ll see more people behaving creepily - standing stock still, several with their mouths gaping open. Even the mascot joins in!

Richie vs. Paul Bunyan

Richie can be forgiven for not noticing the people standing behind him when there’s an evil murder clown floating overhead using a bunch of balloons. This is a recreation of a memorable scene in the novel when Richie is exploring the town, trying to recover his memories, and remembers an incident where he was attacked by It (in the form of the Paul Bunyan statue) as a child. To his horror, the Paul Bunyan statue comes to life once again.

Make-Up Removal

One of the most unsettling shots in the trailer is Pennywise tearing at his face, white clown make-up peeling off. This appears to be some kind of halfway form, as he doesn’t have his trademark red hair or bulging head, so it’s possible that this scene shows Pennywise disguising himself as another person before revealing the clown underneath. However, his hair looks similar to how it is in the old photo that Beverly sees in Mrs. Kersh’s apartment, so this may actually be a “flashback” scene that appears when Mrs. Kersh is telling the story of her father. Regardless, it’s certainly reminiscent of that memorable scene in Poltergeist where a character starts tearing at his own face while staring in a bathroom mirror.

A Pennywise Surprise

As evidenced by his ability to float around using balloons, Pennywise isn’t particularly beholden to the force of gravity. This shot in the trailer looks like it’s teasing a scene where Pennywise walks down a wall towards the adult Mike Hanlon. The building they’re in looks abandoned and possible wrecked by fire, which would be appropriate given that Mike’s parents died in a house fire and Pennywise tormented him with visions of trapped, burning bodies in the first movie.

A Second Sewer Showdown

The first IT ended with the Losers’ Club heading down into Derry’s sewers to confront Pennywise, findinghis horrible lair and the floating bodies of all the missing children, and putting a (temporary) end to the evil clown. The first trailer for IT Chapter Two shows the Losers’ Club returning to the sewers to find the creature’s lair looking for different - bathed in green light and with dark spikes protruding from the ground. They may have had 27 years to brace for another showdown, but It probably has a few more tricks up its sleeve as well.

Eddie Fights Back

The child version of Eddie Kaspbrak (played by Jack Dylan Grazer) was a notorious germophobe and a bit of a scaredy-cat - though he was probably justified in being afraid of a terrifying murder clown. By the end of the first movie, Eddie had found the courage to stand up to his overbearing mother, and to stand alongside his friends in the fight against It. We see Eddie in the trailer for IT Chapter Two with a bandage on his face, screaming as he launches himself into battle - but this time he may get worse than a broken arm.

A Total Bloodbath

Poor Beverly went through a traumatic expereince in her bathroom in the first IT movie, with blood spewing everywhere, and it looks like she’ll go through a similar ordeal in IT Chapter Two. Young Beverly is shown thrashing about in a deep pool of blood, and from the tiles on the walls it looks like this is the bathroom in her apartment again. The Losers’ Club have already had to clean up a bloody disaster in the bathroom once, so they may have to get out the sponges again.

More Missing Children

The above character, played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong, is called Victoria according to IT Chapter Two’s IMDb listing, and she’s seen being confronted by Pennywise under some bleachers. In the background we can see that she’s painfully close to other people, but - as with Georgie - that probably won’t be enough to save her from Pennywise. As the adult Losers’ Club are walking through Derry, there are Missing posters pasted on the sides of buildings, indicating that a new spate of disappearances has already begun.

More: What The IT Miniseries Did Better Than The IT Movie

  • IT Chapter Two Release Date: 2019-09-06