The second half of "Stephen King's IT" is centered on the children from the first half, all grown up. It's been 30 years since they killed It, and It has made a return. Mike Hanlon has stayed in the town of Derry, and has alerted the "Loser's Club" to the return of their nemesis. When most of them return to Derry, a decision must be made: Do they choose to believe that It is real, or leave this town in their rearview? So, without further ado, I bring you the second half of my Fancast for "Stephen King's It."
Toni Collette as Audra Denbrough:
This Australian actress is probably best known by her own Showtime Show called "The United States of Tara," or her outstanding performances in "Little Miss Sunshine" and "The Sixth Sense." I first saw her in "The Sixth Sense" and was stunned by how great her performance was. She's a beautiful, funny, and brilliant, a trifecta rarely seen in actresses. The role might be small, but it's still important. I have no doubt that Mrs. Collette would make the role stand-out.
Paul Giamatti as Henry Bowers:
Mr. Giamatti is easily one of my favorite actors. He's the unconventional leading man, but every performance is extremely believable. I've seen Giamatti in plenty of films, but his performance in "American Splendor" really made me pay attention to him. He was given a well-deserved Oscar Nomination for his role in "Sideways." Paul Giamatti is a great actor, and I truly believe that he can pull of any role he is given.
Ray Romano as Stan Uris:
I will be completely honest with you, I really dislike the older version of Stan. Well, not so much the character, but Richard Masur. I didn't believe that he was scared, but, that can't be blamed on him, I guess. Let us point our collective fingers at Tommy Lee Wallace. Regardless, Stan Uris isn't as important in the second half as he was in the first, so I chose an equally unimportant actor. I dislike Ray Romano, and have ached to see him die... on-screen. I know I like to preach that every casting choice should be considered as if they were the lead, but I drew a blank on this one.
Damon Wayans as Mike Hanlon:
Let me first say that I realize Damon Wayans has rarely portrayed a serious character in his career. I just really think he can portray the, somewhat, leader of the adult "Loser's Club." What serious roles he's had, he has done well. Damon Wayans is one of my favorite comics, and, typically, anything he's in, I enjoy.
David Yost as Eddie Kaspbrack:
Can you imagine anyone else, seriously? I remember when I was younger, always thinking that they looked quite similar. A lot of people might say Andy Dick, but that's a big no on that front. Andy Dick is a miserable actor, and human. David Yost's performance in the original "Power Rangers" line-up was one of the most memorable characters, ever. His unceremonious exit from the show left fans wanting a sense of closure. David Yost was easily the most likeable character on the show, all thanks to his wonderful performance. A performance that would be welcomed to this role that, in my opinion, was hard to relate to, or even like.
Mariska Hargitay as Beverley Marsh:
Mariska Hargitay is best known for her role as Dulcea in "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie"... No? Oh, that's right, she was fired from the movie, and all of her recorded scenes were deleted. In all seriousness, Mariska Hargitay plays the shady past owning Detective Olivia Benson in the longest surviving "Law & Order" spin-off, "Special Victims Unit." Hargitay brilliantly portrays the troubled Detective, who is easily relatable to Beverley Marsh.
Seth MacFarlane as Richie Tozier:
Seth MacFarlane, known for his, somewhat, wide variety of voices, and as the creator of 3 of Fox's 5 most successful shows: "Family Guy," "American Dad," and "The Cleveland Show." MacFarlane is a genuinely funny individual, as seen as the Roast Master at the Comedy Central Roast of David Hasselhoff. I imagine it only fitting since, when we first meet Richie Tozier as a child, he introduces himself with, "Richie's my name, and doing voices is my game." Something that Mr. MacFarlane knows all too well.
Bruce Campbell as Ben Hanscom:
Bruce Campbell, notorious for his B-Movies like "The Man with the Screaming Brain," "Maniac Cop," and, of course, "The Evil Dead Trilogy." His performances easily stand out among the sea of sh*tty actors who he's co-starred with. But, he does portray Sam Axe in USA's "Burn Notice," where he does a fantastic job as said character. He's an excellent performer, and definitely would do a fantastic job in the role that John Ritter made famous.
Aaron Eckhart as Bill Denbrough:
Aaron Eckhart, known amongst Comic Book fans as the man who brilliantly portrayed Harvey Dent in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight." Unfortunately, he will not be returning in "The Dark Knight Rises," but thanks to his role as Gotham City's DA, we've all had our eyes thrust open. After seeing his performance, I quickly went out to see some of his other movies. Such films as "In the Company of Men" (which, I admit, sounds like the name of a Gay Porn) and "Thank You for Smoking," really proves that he's an actor destined to be a "Leading Man" for years to come. Besides, I'm pretty sure that Bill Denbrough was meant to be a handsome man. Something lost on most audiences when he was portrayed by the Ponytail Wielding Richard Thomas.
I am also amending my original choice of having Tony Todd portraying the legendary villain, Pennywise. Don't get me wrong, I do think Tony Todd would be very convincing in the role, I just feel that someone else might do a better job so...
Vincent D'Onofrio as Pennywise the Clown:
Known primarily for his role as Detective Robert Goren on the severely underrated "Law & Order" spin-off, "Criminal Intent," Vincent D'Onofrio has always proven to be a skilled actor, but is always outshined by the "conventional" leading men. With his first 2 films, he proved his outstanding acting range. Probably the best known of these 2 films was his role as Private Leonard "Pyle" Lawrence in Stanley Kubrick's "Full Metal Jacket." Easily memorable, Vincent proved he would do whatever he had to in order to make his performance believable (he gained 80 lbs for the role). His second role was quite small, but still memorable in its own right. "Adventures in Babysitting" features D'Onofrio playing a muscularly built mechanic with long blonde hair, leading to confusion on the part of Sara (the youngest character), who believed him to be Thor, the comic book character she idolized. But, surprisingly, my decision came upon my recent re-watching of "The Cell." The movie isn't fantastic, but D'Onofrio's Carl Stagher is easily one of the best villains to ever be portrayed on film. Check it out, if you don't believe me.
If you haven't seen my Fancast for the first half of "Stephen King's IT," check it out by clicking on the title...
Well, I hope you enjoyed my 2-Part "Stephen King's IT" Fancast. Let me know your opinions in the usual spot. And, keep an eye out for my next Fancast for "Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker." And my next "Reflection of a Hierophant" on Tim Burton's sequel to 1989's "Batman," "Batman Returns." As always, take care, and I'll see you in the future...