It

Andy Muschietti's It accomplished what no one thought possible: it made a Stephen King adaptation that honored the source material while working as a standalone horror film, and it became the highest-grossing horror movie in history. Bill Skarsgård's Pennywise is a revelation — twitchy, predatory, and deeply alien in a way that Tim Curry's iconic 1990 performance never attempted. The Losers' Club ensemble is the heart of the film, with Finn Wolfhard, Sophia Lillis, and Jaeden Martell delivering performances that capture the terror and tenderness of King's novel. The projector scene and the Georgie sewer opening are instant-classic horror set pieces. The film grossed $701 million worldwide — a number that would have seemed impossible for an R-rated horror film — and proved that King adaptations could be both artistically and commercially triumphant.