The IT Special Features Promise More Substance and Scares

Stephen King’s IT runs more than 1,000 pages, and although Andy Muschetti and the rest of the filmmaking team split it into 2 films, that’s still a lot of ground to cover.  The film does a masterful job of capturing the evil spirit of King’s work, but some things were added, changed, and even deleted. EW posted a hilarious alternate opening scene and Bloody Disgusting has now shared the featurettes and deleted scenes that will accompany the home video release.

The troubles in Derry are set into motion when poor Georgie Denbrough becomes Pennywise’s first prey. The evil clown has descended on the cursed town before, but this is a new crop of victims. Pennywise taunts Georgie with his lost paper boat and urges him to, “Take it.” As anyone who read the book or saw the film knows, it is a fatal mistake for the young boy. This scene, however, has a bit of a twist that could have prevented the whole thing.

On the more serious side, the bonus features will include an alternate ending. At the close of the movie, the Losers make a blood pact, intended to bond them for life. After all that they’ve been through, it’s a melancholy ending as they go their separate ways. We know the next time they’ll reunite is when they face Pennywise once more and are pulled back into his evil shadow.

The home video release is set to include an alternate ending in which Bill and his parents are getting ready to leave on a family vacation. As the Denbrough’s drive away for the trip without Georgie, the camera returns to the sewer as rain hits the pavement. It would have certainly been a more direct and chilling nod to the 27 year cycle that will bring the group back together. We expect this scene to be even more heartbreaking after watching another deleted scene in which Bill’s mother is too upset by the loss of Georgie to even discuss the family vacation.

Here’s the full rundown of the deleted scenes and featurettes Bloody Disgusting printed from a fan who got their hands on the Australian release:

• Pennywise Lives (16:25) – a behind-the-scenes featurette about Pennywise, of course.
• The Losers’ Club (15:42) – a featurette about the child actors in the movie.
• Author of Fear (13:51) – an extended interview with Stephen King, who talks at length about writing the book. He mentions that Derry was based off a town in Maine called Bangor.
• “Georgie Catches Boat (Opening Gag Scene)”: When Georgie grabs for the boat in the opening…he gets it and walks away, saying “See you later!” to a frustrated Pennywise. Gotta admit, I laughed.
• “Stanley’s Dad corrects him (Extended scene)”: Stanley is reciting Hebrew in a synagogue, but his Dad jumps in to correct his pronunciation.
• “Denbrough family dinner”: Bill sits at the dinner table while his Dad reads a magazine and his Mum washes up. Bill starts talking about their family trip for the year, but his Mum walks off upset. His Dad explains that Georgie was really looking forward to it.
• “Bill’s Dad looks in the basement, et all”: After Bill has his encounter with Pennywise in the basement, he runs into his father. His Dad has a look in the basement, doesn’t find anything, and tells Bill to go to bed. Meanwhile, Henry tries to sneak out past his Dad, and gets into a car with Victor and Belch. They see Mike ride past on his bike.
• “Outside the Neibolt house”: Mike, Beverly, Ben and Stanley are outside the house while Bill, Eddie and Richie are inside. Stanley talks about not being able to go inside while Mike comforts him. Ben places his hand on Beverly’s shoulder.
• “Evacuating the Neibolt house (Extended scene)”: Just an extended scene of the Losers’ Club leaving the house and getting on their bikes.
• “Stanley’s Bar Mitzvah speech”: Self-explanatory. Stanley delivers a speech after his Bar Mitzvah about “indifference,” during which there’s a brief montage showing what the other kids are up to. He makes a bit of a scene and storms off while Richie claps.
• “Eddie at Keene’s pharmacy (Extended scene)”: Just an extended scene at the pharmacy as Eddie talks to the girl who signs his cast with “Loser.”
• “Henry and Bullies wait outside (Extended scene)”: As the Losers’ Club heads into the Neibolt house, Henry sits in his car with his face covered in blood. Belch and Victor are dead with throats slit.
•  “The Losers find Georgie’s walkie”: Bill picks up Georgie’s walkie right before Henry attacks Mike at the top of the well.
•  “Denbrough family vacation”: After saying goodbye to Beverly at the end of the movie, Bill and his parents are packing for the family vacation Bill was talking about in an earlier deleted scene. This subplot does kind of enhance the family dynamic. As the car drives away, the camera pulls in to the drain where Georgie was taken. Camera stops, and rain starts to hit the pavement. This would have been a perfect final shot.

IT will be available on Blu-Ray and DVD to start 2018 off right on January 9.

Feature Image: BILL SKARSGÅRD as Pennywise in New Line Cinema’s horror thriller “IT,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema