Loyalty Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. But unlike young Georgie Denbrough in the first movie, Adrian Mellon is near death before Pennywise ever lays a hand on him. He, nor any character similar to him, is present in IT or the other adaptions of the novel. Write to Megan McCluskey at megan.mccluskey@time.com. Save on the cover price and get Free Issues, Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know now on politics, health and more, © 2021 TIME USA, LLC. The boy is Henry’s little cousin, and he instantly turns on Richie. And as anyone who's read Stephen King's novel will … Because the revelation of Richie’s feelings for Eddie only comes at the film’s very end, without clarity as to whether either of them ever explored their queerness.”. For him, it’s very important that people think that he has a girlfriend,” Muschietti says. It was fresh in my mind, and fitted my idea of Derry as a place where terrible things happened,” King told the Bangor Daily News. https://stephenking.fandom.com/wiki/Connor_Bowers?oldid=81533. “Because of that traumatic event in the past, at the time when puberty hit him and he normally would’ve started acting upon his leanings or sexual identity, he didn’t. Flashbacks Childhood Love post It Chapter 2 Canon Divergence Things take a turn though when the boy insults him for it and then, for good measure, turns out to be the cousin of the cruel bully, Henry Bowers (Nicholas Hamilton). Like its hugely popular 2017 predecessor, IT Chapter Two opens with an early scene from Stephen King’s 1986 novel in which the evil It — in the form of Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise the Dancing Clown — preys on and kills a resident of Derry, ME. The 17-year-old opened up to the Herald Sun on Sunday about his starring role in the terrifying remake of Stephen King big screen adaptation of IT, where he plays town bully Henry Bowers. You can unsubscribe at any time. It would be naive to omit [Adrian’s death],” he says. In King’s novel, the relationship between Richie and Eddie is an ambiguous one that has long inspired debate over whether the two shared either a mutual or a one-sided attraction. “At the time I started writing IT, the Howard murder had just happened. “That a type of crime still happens in real life does not mean extremely graphic depictions of it are always justified,” Bloomer writes. And in It: Chapter Two, Richie is accused of coming onto local bully Henry Bowers’ cousin … The scene in question plays out onscreen much like it does on the page: Adrian (Xavier Dolan) and his boyfriend, Don Hagarty (Taylor Frey), are leaving Derry’s Canal Days Festival when they’re accosted by three teenagers. As a child, his friends were Bill Denbrough, Eddie Kaspbrak, and Stan Uris . “And, maybe needless to say, I was outraged. The adult version of Henry Bowers has been cast for 'IT: Chapter 2', as the character will be played by Teach Grant in the upcoming film. He also often teases the other Losers, especially Eddie, callin… Kirk Bowers is a member of The Guard, and a resident of Haven, Maine. Adrian gets in a verbal altercation with the boys but leaves with Don before it gets physical. The tragedy not only sets the darker tone of director Andy Muschietti’s follow-up to his adaptation of the first half of King’s novel, but also lays a foundation for the LGBTQ themes that are central to the movie, which hit theaters Sept. 6. “It sets up a canvas. But it never flourished because probably Eddie wasn’t gay and especially because Richie was never able to come out” he says. Like the others in the Losers' Club, he looked up to Bill, and he was cited as the one who 'understood Bill better than anyone'. Subscribe for just 99¢. Stephen King Wiki is a FANDOM Books Community. PICTURE: Warner Bros. Pictures/FOX Float on down. But in the wake of that loss, Muschietti says that Richie’s final scene — tracing back over the “R+E” he carved into Derry’s kissing bridge as a child — is meant to symbolize a new chapter in his life. If Henry’s still alive at the bottom of that well, in It Chapter 2, he’s going to be hungry for revenge, especially when it comes to Mike who shoved him down the hole in the first place. Butch once carved a swas… Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our. “We reintroduce [Richie] as someone who has built a persona around himself. Henry joins in on the insults, screaming at Richie to leave. An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. Connor Bowers I think he’s at peace now with being who he is.”. So whatever would’ve happened between him and Eddie, never happened.”, Richie’s sexuality is never explicitly stated in the movie, a decision Muschietti says was an homage to King’s writing. All Rights Reserved. When Ginger Danvers was kidnapped by the Guard as an insurance to ensure Audrey Parker entered the Barn, Kirk seemed to be the one in charge of the operation. We're going deep into the sewers to dig up all the Easter eggs and references you might've missed in It: Chapter Two. (L-r) Bill Hader as Richie Tozier and James Ransone as Eddie Kaspbrak in 'It Chapter Two'. IT Chapter Two is now in cinemas, returning both audiences … It, retroactively known as It Chapter One, is a 2017 American supernatural horror film based on Stephen King's 1986 novel of the same name. In an emotional scene, they brushed hands with Richie offering to And when it came to adapting IT, that theme is still very present and important for me, the dark side of the human equation,” he says. Unfortunately, the new kid's cousin, Henry Bowers, lives to torment Richie and his friends. Die for Our Ship: Connor Bowers, Henry's cousin, who Richie had a crush on as a child. Relatives It Chapter Two Young Henry Bowers (2019) Danger Close Private Noel Grimes (2019) It (2017) The Dark Tower Lucas Hanson (2017) Wanted (2016 ) Captain Fantastic Rellian … Subscribe for just 99¢. Throughout It: Chapter Two, there's a running gag about author Bill Denbrough's (James McAvoy) work.The leader of the Losers Club introduced in … King was living in Bangor when he wrote IT and used the city as inspiration for Derry. The scene didn’t make it into the 1990 TV miniseries adaptation of IT — an omission for which its creators received criticism — but Muschietti tells TIME that including it in the movie was never a question for him. Movie info When Nathan Wuornos sided with Audrey over the Guard, Kirk deemed him as a hostile. Two new actors have joined the ever-growing It Chapter 2 cast. He was also best friends with Beverly Marsh, Mike Hanlon, and Ben Hanscom. Kayla Arena ... special makeup effects shop artist/technician Sophie J. Cameron ... special makeup effects shop artist Teach Grant will play bully Henry Bowers, while Jess Weixler will play actress Audra Denbrough. Henry Bowers may not be many people's favourite IT character, but he's still a pretty important one. He is Henry Bowers cousin, visiting Derry, Maine between late 1988 and the summer of 1989. From the start, he was abused psychologically by his abusive Nazi father Oscar \"Butch\" Bowers. It Chapter Two is a 2019 American supernatural horror film and a sequel to the 2017 film It, both based on the 1986 novel by Stephen King. Connor Bowers is a minor character in IT: Chapter Two (film). Henry accuses Richie of hitting on his cousin, and the cousin immediately steps away and joins in hurling homophobic slurs at Richie. Louis Petizman of Conde Nast’s LGBTQ publication Them writes that while the movie improves upon the book in terms of LGBTQ representation, it still misses the mark. Butch prompted Henry to be a bully. The issue has come up recently with portrayals of violence against women—as in Hulu’s adaptation of The Handmaid’s Tale and the recent movie The Nightingale. It sets up the world in which Richie lives, and all the other characters live, but especially Richie, who is hiding his sexual identity.” Given the reality of the potential life-or-death dangers of living his truth, says Muschietti, “he actually has a reason to [hide] it.”. He meets Richie Tozier at the Aladdin arcade while Henry, Belch, and Vic are in a movie. Now is your last chance to … “Even though IT looks like it’s a movie about a clown from outer space, it’s a movie about how f-cked up humans are. In 'It Chapter Two,' Bill Hader plays an adult Richie who reminisces a childhood playing 'Street Fighter.' By signing up you are agreeing to our, The Sparks Brothers, a Sundance Delight, Tells the Grand Story of This Enduringly Enigmatic Art-Pop Duo. The two boys are getting along until the bully Henry Bowers (Nicholas Hamilton) walks in and it’s revealed that the boy is Henry’s cousin. After leaving the arcade as an adult, Richie again has an encounter with It in the town square during which It, as Pennywise, threatens to reveal Richie’s “dirty little secret,” implying that he will out him as gay. Biographical information It’s a harrowing scene, made all the more so by the fact that such crimes are on the rise in the U.S. The two boys are getting along until the bully Henry Bowers (Nicholas Hamilton) walks in and it’s revealed that the boy is Henry’s cousin. But it’s not until Richie is back in Derry retrieving a specific, personal token that each Loser needs in order to perform the ritual that will allow them to defeat It, that we glimpse his inner truth. “While the film’s slightly more overt queerness is a step in the right direction, particularly in the context of King’s LGBTQ+ track record, it’s not exactly a milestone for queer inclusion,” Peitzman writes. As the movie progresses, it becomes clear that Richie has long been harboring romantic feelings for Eddie (played by James Ransone as an adult and Jack Dylan Grazer as a child). “When we see the traumatic event that started the whole suppression, we see [Richie] being himself and beginning to realize who he is, and immediately he’s pointed out and he’s humiliated,” Muschietti explains. Ben was played by Nicholas Hamilton in 2017's 'IT' and will be portrayed by Teach Grant in the sequel. Richie then runs away from the arcade crying, only to be attacked in the town square by It, which has taken on the form of Derry’s massive Paul Bunyan statue. When Richie is reintroduced as an adult, we learn that he has grown up to be a stand-up comedian. In the case of IT Chapter 2, some have already taken issue with Muschietti’s decision to include the scene. He is Henry Bowers cousin, visiting Derry, Mainebetween late 1988 andthe summer of 1989. “I think that’s what’s so great about it, because it generates a question mark instead of elaborating on it.”. Please try again later. Muschietti says that this scene was intended to convey just how deeply Richie fears people learning the truth about his sexual orientation. From Freddy's glove in Evil Dead 2 to pretty much everything in Scream, horror movies have a long history of Easter eggs, cameos, and meta-self-reference.And in Andy Muschietti's IT Chapter … “Leaving bigotry and homophobia and that kind of violence out would not only not be accurate to the times that we’re living in, it would be omitting something that is still happening to this day and is horrible.”, Whether and how to depict certain types of violence onscreen is a much debated question. You have reached your limit of 4 free articles. Pennywise then pulls Adrian out of the water and takes a gruesome bite out of his side while Don watches in horror from the opposite shore and thousands of Pennywise’s signature balloons float past. This is your last free article. butch bowers uncle The Bowers Gang Two new cast members have been added to Andy Muschietti’s ‘It: Chapter 2’. Affiliation Teach Grant to play adult Henry Bowers in It: Chapter 2 Teach Grant and Jess Weixler are the latest additions to the It: Chapter 2 starcast. Connor Bowers is a minor character in IT: Chapter Two (film). Age * The request timed out and you did not successfully sign up. He goes on to say that the fact that King included the scene in the book doesn’t necessitate the treatment it receives in the movie. News Film & Television Henry had a hate-filled childhood. Slate‘s Jeffrey Bloomer writes that Adrian’s death is a “gay-bashing scene” that “exploits a ghastly real-life killing for a cheap shock, delivered without context or any clear thematic underpinning.”. It: Chapter Two casts Adult Henry Bowers and Bill’s wife Audra Phillips Principal cast to Andy Muschietti's highly anticipated sequel is just about complete It: Chapter Two is ready to go. It Chapter Two (2019) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. “In fact, there’s something retrograde about Richie and Eddie’s storyline. “It’s part of IT‘s DNA.”. He becomes uncomfortable with Richie wanting to continue to play, and incites the gang to bully him out of the theatre/arcade, leading Richie to encounter Pennywise as the Paul Bunyan statue in this remake. That’s because Adrian, a gay man, is the victim of a brutal hate crime. When Eddie meets a tragic end, Richie is driven nearly insane with grief. Warning: This post contains spoilers for IT Chapter Two. The teens follow the couple to Derry’s canal bridge and mercilessly beat both Don and Adrian — who starts having an asthma attack — before throwing Adrian off the bridge. Henry Bowers Henry Bowers's Gang (IT) Connor Bowers Eddie leaves Myra Myra is Emotionally Abusive and A POS IT Chapter 2 Spoilers Eddie doesn't die Divorce? “And in time, we understand what his fear is: He’s afraid of being exposed because he had a traumatic event in the past that he never worked through.”. However, there are some who take issue with the ambiguity of IT Chapter Two‘s LGBTQ narrative. King has said that Adrian’s death in the book is closely based on the real-life killing of Charlie Howard, a gay man who was murdered by three local teenagers in Bangor, ME, in 1984. Also Myra, Eddie's wife (who is played by his mom's actor) is not very popular either, with the overwhelming majority of fans shipping Eddie with Richie and generally ignoring her existence. “Stephen King developed [Richie and Eddie’s] relationship so subtly, he’s almost cryptic about it,” Muschietti says. 8. Who will play adult Henry in 'IT: Chapter 2'? Family information He also thought Beverly was pretty, but only perceived her as if she was the same as any other friend. You have 1 free article left. “Something changed there,” Muschietti explains. Butch encouraged Henry to hate all foreigners as well as other American citizens of different color skin, and hate women, because in Butch's words, women were \"whores\" and Henry grew up with a nihilistic and hate-mongering attitude. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Ironically, it's not just an obsession to Richie, it's something tied to self-realization as it's where he played against Henry Bowers' cousin who was visiting the town. As an adult, Eddie marries a woman who bears a strong resemblance to his mother. The movie, which may be headed for a $100-million opening weekend box office, is sure to continue to inspire debate as to its treatment of Adrian’s violent death, Richie and Eddie’s relationship and the ways in which it both adheres to and diverges from King’s version. 12 He, nor any character similar to him, is present in IT or the other adaptions of the novel. While collecting the token — for him, a literal token from the Derry arcade — Richie flashes back to a memory from the summer of ’89 when he was playing a game with another boy. The film is directed by Andy Muschietti , returning from the first film, with a screenplay by Gary Dauberman . At this point, the bully Henry Bowers and his gang appear. His age can be assumed to be about the same as the Losers Club's. Portrayed by Although it is barely mentioned again in the movie, the violent incident is treated as a precursor to the character arc of Richie Tozier, played by Bill Hader as an adult and Stranger Things‘ Finn Wolfhard as a child. His age can be assumed to be about the same as the Losers Club's. Please attempt to sign up again. Ry Prior “And by re-carving it, he’s somehow accepting [himself]. It was a hate crime.”, Muschietti says that even though the second half of King’s novel is set in the mid-1980s, while IT Chapter Two takes place in present day, the circumstances surrounding Adrian’s death still ring with urgency. In Muschietti’s interpretation, “Richie is gay and he’s always had a thing for Eddie. For Muschietti, Richie’s final scene represents something he hopes will inspire optimism in viewers. IT Chapter Two: Cast & Character Guide The cast of IT Chapter Two includes James McAvoy, Isaiah Mustafa, Bill Hader and Jessica Chastain playing adult members of the Losers' Club. “I think [King] was doing a social commentary on how f-cked up America was at that time.