IT Chapter Two: How Richie’s Secret Comes from Stephen King’s Book

Spoilers! IT Chapter Two filmmakers Andy and Barbara Muschietti shed light on their depiction of Bill Hader's Losers' Club character and answer their interpretation of whether Richie was gay in Stephen King's IT.

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#ign

[ohjeezriles]

If y’all can’t appreciate the very valid fear of a closeted person being outed in a not-accepting town, and Pennywise preying on that very real & valid fear, then idk what to tell you. It’s a great narrative choice and adds another layer to Richie’s character. I don’t see how it detracts.

[snowfox]

"Carases is cheek"
He straight up kisses his cheek in the book

[numericalhorror]

Everyone saying it wasn’t explicitly romantic in the film

HEAVY SPOILERS

Richie carves his and Eddie’s signatures into the side of the Kissing Bridge. The infamous romantic spot in Derry. That was an intentional choice

[richietoaster]

Adrian being a parallel/reflection of Eddie in some ways seems like it’s flying over everyone’s heads.

[sofiaciavardini]

Can we just appreciate that Adrian literally hit on Richie from beyond the grave?
"Love to see you their, handsome."

[adam-llyf]

Richie and Eddie were the stars of this movie in my opinion. Their connection felt so real and honest, and I’m so happy they didn’t shy away from telling us that there was probably a romantic attraction between the two.

[LunaFrst]

why was stranger things soundtrack playing?

[BlaynesWorld]

I wish this would've been set up better in the first film because it did feel like it kinda came out of nowhere in this film and it kinda went nowhere.

[ASackOfPotatoes]

Pennywise got clapped by MW2 game chat lmao

[robyngolding]

They literally have to confirm everything with Stephen himself surely, and he literally plays in chapter 2 so surely if Stephen didn’t want this portrayal then he wouldn’t let them, it is based on HIS story after all

[johnnymartinez]

I went to go see it again and now it hurts even more when Richie hugs him for the last time.

[abbigaildeleon]

well honestly I think the opening scene of chapter two was a foreshadow of how lgbt people are treated in Derry or in that time period, and kind of foreshadowing why Richie may have had that fear, also are we gonna ignore the fact that Adrian and Eddie both had an inhaler and the opening scene could’ve been sort of related to Eddie and Richies relationship.

[madisonlewe]

Its kind of a confusing topic

Because it seems a little left field but it also kinda makes sense in a way for this direction. I always interpreted Richie’s jokes and things to be a front for something else; be it his fear of being forgotten or something a little more deeper.

We don’t really know Eddie’s side of things. He never really had a chance to mature because of his mother’s hold on him. He never really had control of his life. She was all he knew; especially after they moved and he forgot everything about The Losers and Derry.

That’s why, I feel, he married Myra because he wasn’t sure how he could handle living on his own and leading his own life. Going back to Derry as an adult was almost like his coming of age story, in a way.

[t_rexdiaz]

The character of richie really hit me. Back in my childhood kids used to make fun of me because i was different. Humiliation and shame created fear.
I never could tell to my friend from my block i really liked him, even when he threw hints at me.
What could have been, never happened, he probably was the first guy i liked.
He left. Years after i wrote with a marker J+A on an electric post. But for what??
That night after the movie i had a dream about that stuff from the past i thought i had forgotten.
Stanley's letter almost made me cry. Never be ashamed of who you are. And go for it even if you are afraid.
Still today. Im fighting these demons

[Hesketh]

That R+E scene 💓 my heart couldnt take it

[bravoman]

Wait, this interview was pointless. They didn't really say anything new. And the only interesting part was the producer talking about her appreciation for when Ritchie says goodbye to Eddy.

[irenegonzalez]

people in the comments can't accept that sometimes people are gay(i would say bisexual in richie's case) and that they can also have crushes, but stay pressed or whatever

[brookecarter]

im so glad they decided to further explore this storyline in chapter 2 because it was never 100% confirmed in the book even though reddie was pretty obvious, so im glad they went this direction and im so happy with the end result.

[mercymain]

For some reason
When I close my eyes




*I can't see*

[katiemaybekatie]

I really like this movie and the book. But I just don't understand this plot decision. It felt so out of place to me, when you go back and watch the first movie they have more of a brother relationship vibe going on. And I never got that vibe reading the book either....or is this just me??