Here it is, everyone, my ideal cast for the adult Losers in It‘s inevitable sequel. Note that I made these choices based on the characters’ descriptions in the book, rather than the kids’ appearances in the movie; though the two are generally similar, there are a few exceptions. I’ll go ahead and issue another mild spoiler warning for this one. Enjoy!
Bill Denbrough – Joaquin Phoenix
As the Losers’ revered leader, Bill is described as having a quietly intense charisma. Sound familiar? You’d be hard-pressed to find a single overstated performance in Phoenix’s filmography, yet he’s always possessed an effortlessly powerful screen presence. Bill’s the closest thing It has to a main character, and Phoenix has shown time and time again that he’s more than capable of carrying a movie.
Richie Tozier – Ryan Reynolds
To play Richie, you need someone who can be funny and annoying in equal measure, a combination that Reynolds has essentially turned into a career. Sure, the role would require him to display more range than he’s usually tasked with, but if his work in Buried is anything to go by, I think he could pull it off.
Eddie Kaspbrak – Elijah Wood
Small, skinny, and wide-eyed, Wood fits King’s physical description of Eddie to a tee. Plus, Eddie’s the kind of character he’s played before: physically weak and easily scared, but courageous when it counts. See his tour-de-force turn in The Faculty if you don’t know what I mean.
Ben Hanscom – Chris Pratt
Credit where credit’s due: I stole this idea from Jeremy Ray Taylor, the actor who plays Ben in the new movie. But it’s just so perfect; in the book Ben’s handsome adult self is a far cry from the fat kid he used to be, and who knows more about going from chunk to hunk than Chris Pratt? He’d have to tone down his usual irreverent persona, but Pratt’s demonstrated enough dramatic ability in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies (especially the first) to be able to convey Ben’s pathos, which mainly takes the form of the 27-year-long torch he carries for Beverly.
Mike Hanlon – Omar Epps
Though he wasn’t given much to do in the first movie, Mike is a vital part of the novel’s second half, acting as Derry’s watchman as well as its unofficial historian on all things Pennywise. As demonstrated by his work on House, Epps has the calm, down-to-earth intelligence that this role requires.
Beverly Marsh – Amy Adams
This was a relatively simple choice, since I could safely eliminate any actress who wasn’t a natural redhead. Beyond that, Bev’s actress needs to convey the right combination of beauty and toughness, and with Adams’ impressive range of roles, she’d have no trouble pulling it off. One needs only to look to her performances in dark fare like Nocturnal Animals and The Master to see how easily she can disappear into the psyches of tormented characters. And as a bonus, she actually looks like her younger counterpart.
Stan Uris – David Krumholz
Though the least significant member of the adult Losers, Stan still plays an important role in the story. More than anything, casting Stan is about finding an actor who looks the part, and Krumholz certainly does – if you dressed him up a bit and gave him a clean-cut hairdo, he’d look every inch the fortyish suburban Jewish accountant. Beyond that, all you need is some solid acting ability, and Krumholz has enough dramatic roles under his belt to meet that requirement.
Henry Bowers – Michael Shannon
This was by far the easiest pick on my list. Michael Shannon is an absolute no-brainer for the part of Henry; he’s the perfect age, he looks the part, and he’s an old hand at playing unhinged psychopaths. His crazy eyes and twitchy mannerisms would bring adult Henry to intimidating, bloodthirsty life.