Random Things 'IT Chapter Two' Changed From Book (12 items)

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  (#1) Richie's Sexuality

  In the novel, not much is made of Richie’s love life. It's mentioned early on that he had a wife for a while, but had gotten a divorce after a few years. In the movie it's heavily implied that not only is Richie gay, but also may have feelings for fellow Losers' Club member Eddie Kaspbrak.

  Pennywise is wise to Richie's secret, tauntingly recognizing that being outed is Richie's greatest fear.
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  (#2) Mike's Role In IT’s Lair

  In the novel, the adult version of Mike Hanlon spends most of his time convincing the Losers to return to Derry, then helping them slowly remember what happened in the summer of 1957. Unlike his younger self, Mike doesn’t actually make it into the sewers to face off against Pennywise as an adult; instead, he's in the hospital, courtesy of Henry Bowers.

  In the movie, not only is Mike down in IT’s lair with the rest of the group, but he plays an instrumental role in taking down the monster.
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  (#3) Derry’s Fate

  As the Losers face off against Pennywise in the book, a major storm is raging over Derry. By the time the group manages to defeat IT, a large portion of the city is ruined - the standpipe rolls down a hill and takes out multiple homes, the city floods, there are multiple explosions in the city mall, and a sinkhole opens up in the middle of town from which the Losers eventually escape.

  Despite a more action-packed confrontation with the shapeshifting clown, the movie’s ending keeps Derry itself unscathed.
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  (#4) The Importance Of Stan Ending His Own Life

  Both the book and the movie feature the early passing of Stan Uris - the quiet and clean member of the Losers’ Club. In the book, Stan's self-inflicted demise is based purely on the fear of returning to Derry and facing Pennywise again - nothing more.

  In the movie, the end reveals that Stan took his own life strategically in order for the Losers to do what they needed to do to take down Pennywise.
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  (#5) Henry’s Killer

  Henry Bowers, perpetual antagonist of the Losers’ Club, escapes from his asylum - with Pennywise's assistance - in both the book and the movie. In both, he targets a number of the Losers. In the book, he gets the jump on Mike, striking him badly enough that he ends up in the hospital. Afterward, Henry heads to the Derry Town House, finds Eddie’s room, and breaks his arm - echoing Eddie's broken arm when they faced Pennywise as kids - before Eddie manages to slay Henry with a broken bottle.

  In the movie, Henry strikes Eddie first, jabbing him in the cheek instead of breaking his arm, and then escapes. He goes after Mike second, but is slain by Richie before doing much harm.
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  (#6) The Totems

  The movie version of IT makes a big fuss about the Losers needing to wander around town looking for personal totems of their past - totems they are then supposed to use in the Ritual of Chüd to seal Pennywise away.

  In the book, there are no totems. After the meeting at the Jade of the Orient restaurant, Mike instructs the Losers to just walk the town alone to help them get their memories from the summer of 1957 back.
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  (#7) Pennywise’s Arrival

  Pennywise’s ancient fall to Earth millions of years in the past remains mostly intact between the book and film versions of the story. The big difference comes with who actually sees it happen - and how. In the movie, we learn that Mike met a Native tribe outside of town who were able to give him a vision of IT's arrival thanks to a hallucinatory root. Mike gives the root to Bill after he arrives in Derry to show him the same vision - and to make him understand what must be done.

  In the book, the Losers see Pennywise's arrival as kids. They decide to turn their clubhouse into a temporary smoke hut to try conjure a vision. They all start in the hut, but nearly everyone bails before receiving a vision. Only Mike and Richie stay long enough to see how the monster first arrived in the place that would be Derry.
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  (#8) Richie’s Job

  This is a small change, and it's one that makes a lot of sense with the modernized take on the story. In the book, Richie is a successful radio DJ in LA who turned his ability for "voices" and impressions into a decent amount of fame.

  In the movie, Richie is a standup comedian - one successful enough that he gets recognized in restaurants from time to time.
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  (#9) Bill’s Wife And Bev’s Husband

  Both Bill's wife Audra and Bev's husband Tom appear in IT: Chapter Two, but have much smaller roles - they only pop up before the Losers gather back in Derry.

  In the book, both Audra and Tom end up coming to Derry looking for their spouses. Pennywise convinces Tom to kidnap Audra and bring her into the sewers, and she actually gets a long enough look at IT's deadlights that she's catatonic for weeks.
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  (#10) The Losers’ Memories

  The movie version of IT actually concludes on a higher note than the book. The film ends with a call between Bill and Mike as Mike gets ready to leave Derry for good. Bill asks Mike why he can actually remember what happened in their hometown - why their memories aren't fading this time around - and Mike suggests it's because they have more they actually want to remember.

  In the book, as soon as the Losers defeat Pennywise and return to their lives, they once again start to forget what happened in Derry, including the names and faces of their friends. It goes so far that the words in Mike's journal about Pennywise and the aftermath fade from his notebook. The Losers save the town, and all it cost them were the memories of their youth and childhood friends.
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  (#11) Eddie’s Job

  Eddie's career was also changed for the film version of the story - likely because of how much harder it would be for him to be believably successful in the modern age with what he did in the book. In the novel, Eddie runs a successful limo service in New York. This builds off Eddie's inherent sense of direction and ability to get himself un-lost, which the Losers mention and use to their advantage as they navigate the sewers beneath Derry.

  In the novel, Eddie works in risk assessment; there isn't much mention of his curiously powerful sense of direction.
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  (#12) The Turtle

  Fans of the book were wondering how weird and cosmic the film adaptation of the story would get. In the novel, the Losers are eventually helped by a force known as the Turtle. The Turtle has been an enemy of IT for millions of years; it’s even hinted that he created the universe by puking it out when he had a bellyache.

  Aside from a couple offhand references to turtles in Chapter Two and its predecessor, the Turtle himself doesn't actually show up to help the Losers in the screen version.

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