It ( miniseries ) - wikipedia It ( miniseries ) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( September 2017 ) It Promotional artwork Genre Horror drama Based on It by Stephen King Written by Lawrence D. Cohen Tommy Lee Wallace Directed by Tommy Lee Wallace Starring Harry Anderson Dennis Christopher Richard Masur Annette O'Toole Tim Reid John Ritter Richard Thomas Tim Curry Narrated by Tim Reid Theme music composer Richard Bellis Country of origin United States Original language ( s ) English No. of episodes Production Producer ( s ) Mark Basino Allen S. Epstein Jim Green Cinematography Richard Leiterman Editor ( s ) David Blangsted Robert F. Shugrue Running time 192 minutes ( original version ) 187 minutes ( DVD / Blu - ray version ) 193 minutes ( 2002 DVD / Blu - ray version ) Production company ( s ) Lorimar Productions DawnField Entertainment The Konigsberg & Sanitsky Company Greeb & Epstein Productions Distributor Warner Bros. Television Release Original network ABC Original release November 18 -- November 20, 1990 It ( also known as Stephen King 's It ) is a 1990 American supernatural horror drama miniseries directed by Tommy Lee Wallace and adapted by Lawrence D. Cohen from the Stephen King novel of the same name. It is the first of two adaptations of the novel ; the second being the 2017 film adaptation and its upcoming 2019 sequel. The story revolves around a predatory shapeshifter which has the ability to transform itself into its prey 's worst fears, allowing it to exploit the phobias of its victims. It mostly takes the form of a sadistic, wisecracking clown called Pennywise. The protagonists are The Lucky Seven, or The Losers Club, a group of outcast kids who discover Pennywise and vow to destroy him by any means necessary. The series takes place over two different time periods, the first when the Losers first confront Pennywise as children in 1960, and the second when they return as adults in 1990 to defeat him a second time after he resurfaces. It features an ensemble cast, starring Richard Thomas, John Ritter, Annette O'Toole, Harry Anderson, Dennis Christopher, Tim Reid and Richard Masur as the seven members of the Losers Club, and Tim Curry as Pennywise. The child counterparts of the Losers that appear in part one are played by Jonathan Brandis, Seth Green, Emily Perkins, Brandon Crane, Adam Faraizl, Marlon Taylor and Ben Heller. Michael Cole, Jarred Blancard, Gabe Khouth, Chris Eastman, Olivia Hussey, Frank C. Turner, Tony Dakota, Ryan Michael, Tom Heaton and Chelan Simmons also play supporting roles. Originally conceived as a four - part eight - hour series, ABC enlisted writer Lawrence D. Cohen to adapt the 1,138 - page King novel. Cohen 's script condensed the source work into a two - part, three - hour mini-series that retained the core elements of the novel, but Cohen was forced to abandon numerous subplots by virtue of the novel 's length and the network 's time - slot restrictions. Production on It began in early 1990, and the series was filmed over a period of three months in New Westminster, British Columbia in mid-1990. It aired on ABC over two nights on November 18 and 20, 1990, attracting 30 million viewers in its premiere. Critics praised Tim Curry 's performance as Pennywise. For his work on the miniseries, Richard Bellis received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a mini-series or a Special ( Dramatic Underscore ). Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 2.1 The Losers Club 2.2 Forms of It 2.3 The Bowers Gang 2.4 The Losers Club relatives 2.5 Derry townspeople 3 Production 3.1 Development 3.2 Casting 3.3 Filming 3.4 Special effects 4 Broadcast history 5 Reception 6 Home media 7 Musical score 7.1 Track listing 8 References 9 Works cited 10 External links Plot In Derry, Maine, in 1960, Bill Denbrough gives his younger brother Georgie a paper sailboat to take out onto the street to sail in the gutter. Georgie is unable to stop the boat from sailing down the storm drain, but encounters a strange clown in the drain who introduces himself as Pennywise. Pennywise then entices Georgie to reach into the drain to retrieve his boat, killing the boy by ripping his arm off offscreen. Months later, during the spring semester at their school, Bill befriends the overweight new kid Ben Hanscom. He introduces Ben to asthmatic Eddie Kaspbrak who lives with his overbearing mother, Beverly Marsh who lives with her abusive father who is also the school janitor, wise - cracking Richie Tozier, and Jewish Boy Scout, Stanley Uris. Besides being tormented by a gang of local bullies led by Henry Bowers, the group each experiences disturbing encounters with Pennywise. During one afternoon when he was going to practice his band instrument for the town parade, Bill and his friends encounter Mike Hanlon being pursued by Henry 's gang. They chase the bullies off with rocks and befriend Mike, with Henry vowing to kill them all. The group, calling themselves `` The Losers Club '', come to realize that they are each being terrorized by the same entity. While looking through Mike 's history scrapbook, they deduce Pennywise is a monster that surfaces every 30 years in Derry to feed on the town 's children before returning to hibernation again. They also deduce that the creature, which they dub `` It '' since it is not human and has no gender, assumes the appearance of what they fear. Suddenly the book starts flipping pages by itself and the pictures start to move with Pennywise doing a cartwheel. He then climbs a lamppost threatening to `` kill them all '' and reaches through the book in attempt to grab one of the Losers. They throw the book on the ground and it returns to normal. After discovering that It killed his brother, Bill leads the Losers into the sewers under Derry to kill It. They are followed by Henry and his friends, Victor Criss and Belch Huggins, who are intent on killing them. It kills Victor, who had separated to set an ambush on the Losers, and Belch, who helps Henry separate Stan from the others, sparing a horrified Henry while chasing Stan as he regroups with the Losers. Pennywise grabs Stan, only for the Losers to use It 's ability to access their imaginations against him ; Eddie imagines his inhaler is full of battery acid and uses it to melt the clown 's face while Beverly uses a slingshot and a silver projectile, which the Losers imagine will kill It, to smash a hole in the clown 's head. Pennywise evades the second projectile and escapes down a drain, seemingly dying. Bill makes the others promise to return and kill It should the creature ever come back. Henry, his hair whitened from fright and driven insane from seeing It 's `` Deadlights '', later emerges from the sewers and is institutionalized when he takes credit for murdering his friends, as well as It 's previous victims. In 1990, Mike, now the town librarian, is investigating a string of missing children and killings and arrives at the crime scene of a murdered girl named Laurie Anne Winterbarger. Finding Georgie 's picture and convinced that It is back, Mike proceeds to contact the others to fulfill their vow. Bill has become a bestselling horror novelist married to British actress Audra Phillips, Ben is an architect who has lost weight due to joining his high school track team, Beverly is a fashion designer abused by her husband Tom Rogan, Richie is a late night television comedian, Eddie runs a limousine service but still lives with his mother, and Stan is a married real estate broker. Prior to Mike 's phone calls, the other Losers had completely forgotten each other along with their childhood traumas and memories of It. While the other five reluctantly agree to come, a fear - stricken Stan slits his wrists in his bathtub and writes `` IT '' on the wall in his own blood. The remaining six find themselves harassed by Pennywise once reaching Derry. They eventually meet at dinner, learning of Stan 's suicide shortly after Mike calls his wife. Two other people also converge on the town : an older Henry, whom Pennywise frees to help him kill the Losers, and a worried Audra who ends up being abducted by It while exposed to the creature 's Deadlights. Mike is hospitalized by Henry, who in turn is killed by his own knife during a scuffle with the other Losers. After Mike gives Bill the two pieces of silver he retrieved from the sewers, the five remaining Losers decide to destroy It for good. They descend into the sewers once again, with Pennywise appearing to them one last time relaying the message that they will never see It, just what their `` little minds '' can comprehend. Bill learns Audra is being held while overcoming It 's attempt to induce further guilt. The Losers eventually reach It 's inner sanctum, finding both a catatonic Audra and It 's true form as a giant spider. Bill, Ben and Richie nearly get lost in It 's Deadlights and Eddie is killed attempting to save his friends. Beverly mortally wounds It with her slingshot, and as It limps away the surviving Losers pursue and knock the creature down and rip its heart out, finally killing It. They remove the comatose Audra and Eddie 's body from the sewers. The Losers go their separate ways and move on with their lives as their memories of It fade away. A recovered Mike also has his memories begin to fade as he considers starting a new life elsewhere. Richie is cast in a film with an actor resembling Eddie, while Beverly and Ben are finally married and expect their first child. Bill is the last to leave Derry, using his last hour in town to coax Audra out of her catatonia by giving her a ride down the street on his childhood bicycle, Silver, which he had once used as a child to escape from It, and Audra finally recovers. The film ends with Bill and Audra kissing as a crowd looks on over the sound of Pennywise 's maniacal laugh. Cast The principal cast of It : From top left to top right, Tim Curry, Richard Thomas, Harry Anderson, and Dennis Christopher. From bottom left to bottom right, Tim Reid, John Ritter, Richard Masur and Jonathan Brandis. The Losers Club Richard Thomas as Bill Denbrough Jonathan Brandis as Young Bill Denbrough John Ritter as Ben Hanscom Brandon Crane as Young Ben Hanscom Annette O'Toole as Beverly Marsh Emily Perkins as Young Beverly Marsh Harry Anderson as Richie Tozier Seth Green as Young Richie Tozier Dennis Christopher as Eddie Kaspbrak Adam Faraizl as Young Eddie Kaspbrak Tim Reid as Mike Hanlon Marlon Taylor as Young Mike Hanlon Richard Masur as Stanley Uris Ben Heller as Young Stanley Uris Forms of It Tim Curry as Pennywise the Dancing Clown Steve Makaj as Captain Hanscom Florence Paterson as Mrs. Kersh The Bowers Gang Michael Cole as Henry Bowers Jarred Blancard as Young Henry Bowers Gabe Khouth as Victor Criss Chris Eastman as Belch Huggins The Losers Club relatives Olivia Hussey as Audra Phillips / Denbrough Frank C. Turner as Alvin `` Al '' Marsh Tony Dakota as George `` Georgie '' Denbrough Steven Hilton as Zack Denbrough Sheelah Megill as Sharon Denbrough Ryan Michael as Tom Rogan Caitlin Hicks as Patti Uris Susan Astley as Aunt Jean Claire Vardiel as Arlene Hanscom Sheila Moore as Ms. Sonya Kaspbrak Derry townspeople Terence Kelly as Officer Nell Jay Brazeau as Derry Cab Driver Donna Peerless as Miss Douglas Merrilyn Gann as Mrs. Winterbarger Chelan Simmons as Laurie Anne Winterbarger William B. Davis as Mr. Gedreau Laura Harris as Loni Garry Chalk as Coach Kim Kondrashoff as Joey Helena Yea as Rose Venus Terzo as Cyndi Charles Siegel as Nat Noel Geer as Bradley Amos Hertzman as `` Chubby Kid '' Megan Leitch as Library aide Boyd Norman as Gas station attendant Suzie Payne as Female cabbie Scott Swanson as Rademacher Nicola Cavendish as Desk clerk Tom Heaton as Mr. Keene Paul Batten as Pharmacist Russell Roberts as Greco Bill Croft as Koontz Deva Neil DePodesta as Bum Katherine Banwell as Television announcer Douglas Newell as Doctor Gary Hetherington as Police deputy Production Development George A. Romero initially planned to direct It, but left due to scheduling problems. ABC had acquired the rights to a television mini-series of It, for what would be the first made - for - television film based on a Stephen King work since Salem 's Lot ( 1979 ), directed by Tobe Hooper. Lawrence D. Cohen, who had previously written the film adaptation of Carrie in 1976, was hired to write It. According to both Stephen King and Cohen, King had little to no involvement in the writing of the miniseries. George A. Romero had originally been signed on to direct the project, which at the time ABC had planned for an eight - to - ten - hour series that would run over four two - hour blocks. Romero left the project due to scheduling conflicts, after which ABC condensed it to a three - part series. Shortly after, Tommy Lee Wallace was brought in to direct. After Wallace signed on to the project, ABC had ultimately decided to condense the series to two parts. According to writer Cohen : `` Speaking candidly, ABC was always nervous about It, primarily the fact that it was in the horror genre, but also the eight - to - ten hour commitment. They loved the piece, but lost their nerve in terms of how many hours they were willing to commit. Eventually, they agreed to a two - night, four - hour commitment. '' Given the length of the King novel, which runs 1,138 pages, a great deal of material was left out of Cohen 's adaptation, including subplots concerning the personal lives of the adult characters, one of which had the main male characters each losing their virginity to Beverly. `` I ca n't even begin to enumerate my favorite scenes from the book that we had to cut, because there are so many of them, '' Cohen reflected. `` I look at it as a glass half full situation. There are scenes in both nights that were created by Steve ( King ) on the page, and I 'm delighted that they survived, like the fortune cookie scene and adult Beverly going to her childhood house. The way I see it, the best moments from the book made the cut and the rest are casualties of war. '' However, Wallace and Cohen retained the centrality of Pennywise in the source novel ; as noted by film scholar Tony Magistrale in Hollywood 's Stephen King, the miniseries retains the `` association between the adult world of Derry and It ( which ) is further established in the masterful choice of a carnival clown as a unifying symbol for the various creatures representing the monster. '' Casting Malcolm McDowell ( left ) and Roddy McDowall ( right ) were initial choices for the role of Pennywise before Tim Curry was cast. The majority of the adult actors in the film, including John Ritter, Dennis Christopher, Tim Reid and Harry Anderson, were hand - chosen by Wallace and Cohen for their roles. Annette O'Toole was cast in the film at the suggestion of Ritter, with whom she had recently shot The Dreamer of Oz : The L. Frank Baum Story ( 1990 ) : `` I think ( John ) may have talked to somebody, because I got an offer ( to play Beverly ), '' O'Toole recalled. `` It happened really fast ; I do n't think I even went in for a reading. I was living in Oregon at the time, and the next thing I knew, I was in Vancouver hanging out with the coolest, most fun guys of all time. '' Emily Perkins and Marlon Taylor, who played the young Beverly Marsh and Mike Hanlon, were cast out of Vancouver, while Seth Green and Jonathan Brandis were cast out of Los Angeles for the parts of young Richie and Bill. According to Cohen, he had written the script for the series without a specific actor in mind for the role of Pennywise. According to director Tommy Lee Wallace, before he was attached to the project, Malcolm McDowell and Roddy McDowall were in consideration to play Pennywise, but Wallace wanted Tim Curry for the role ; Wallace had previously worked with the latter in Fright Night Part 2 ( 1988 ). Filming It was shot over a period of three months in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on a budget of $12 million. Given that the shooting entailed an adult cast with child counterparts, Wallace sought to have the adult actors meet with the children playing the younger versions of their characters : `` We made a point of bringing the adult and children actors together for a couple of days, even though it was costly, since the adults and the kids have no scenes together. '' Filming locations in Vancouver included Stanley Park, Beaver Lake and Saint Thomas Aquinas High School Convent in North Vancouver. Wallace told The Hollywood Reporter that his job as a director `` was to give Tim the stage and not get in his way too much. He was like Robin Williams in the way he brought a spontaneous improvisation to the part. '' Curry gave Pennywise a Bronx accent in order to sound like `` an old - time Catskills comic ''. `` I just let it happen, '' Curry said. `` Clowns are your worst fear realized. I think I scared a lot of children. '' Special effects The appearance of Pennywise was based on Lon Chaney in Phantom of the Opera ( 1925 ). Original storyboards for Pennywise featured exaggerated cheekbones, a sharp chin, and bulbous forehead. According to director Wallace, `` Tim ( Curry ) objected strongly to all the rubber. He had recently been in several movies which covered him in prosthetics and I 'm sure he felt all the glue and latex would just get in his way. He was right, of course. With those eyes, and that mouth, and his crazy, sardonic sense of humor, less turned out to be more in the makeup department. '' Special effects coordinator Bart Mixon began working on a head cast for the Pennywise character after Curry was cast in the role ; he also designed three clay molds for testing. According to Mixon, he based the shape of Pennywise 's head on Lon Chaney in The Phantom of the Opera ( 1925 ), `` stylized into a clown. '' Three different versions of the clown 's face were created, one of which resembled a hobo clown, another that was `` a little meaner, '' and the final one seen in the series. To achieve the white complexion, Curry wore prosthetic make - up cream to make him appear `` almost like a living cartoon. '' The majority of the special effects in the film were done practically without digital alteration, aside from the shower scene in which Pennywise comes out of the drain ; this scene was done with replacement animation, an animation technique similar to stop motion animation. The spider figure in the conclusion of the series was hand - constructed by Mixon and his art department team. Wallace recalled of the spider : We labored long and hard designing a spider that was very beefy and muscular, almost reptilian in appearance. It looked great in the drawings, and I even recall a little clay model Bart did, which sealed the deal and won my enthusiastic approval. Bart and team went back to Hollywood to work the whole thing up full - size, and shooting started. When the SVFX team returned to Vancouver and unpacked the full - size spider, what I expected to see was the big version of that original model, the beefy, reptilian thing that was scary on sight. What they assembled on set was very, very different. Not chunky at all, very lean and mean. '' Broadcast History It originally aired on ABC in 1990 on the nights of November 18 and November 20. Part 1 was the fifth highest rated program of the week with an 18.5 / 29 rating / share, and being watched in 17.5 million households. Part 2 was the second highest rated program of the week with a 20.6 / 33 rating / share, and watched in 19.2 million households. According to writer Cohen, It was considered a major success for ABC, garnering nearly 30 million viewers over its two - night premiere. Reception This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. ( September 2017 ) As of December 2017, the film has a 57 % approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 14 reviews, with audience reception being slightly more positive with a 63 %. Matt Roush of USA Today gave the series a positive review, writing : `` If Twin Peaks is a midnight movie for prime - time live, It is the mini-series equivalent of those Saturday matinee shockers that merrily warped a generation before Freddie and Jason began stalking their more graphic turf... Accept It on its own popcorn - munching terms, and keep the lights on high. '' Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly praised the performances in the film, but had a negative response to its special effects and pacing, noting : `` It features a high level of ensemble acting rare for any horror film... in addition to It 's slow pace, I found the ending a big letdown -- unimaginative special effects animate the monster in its final incarnation. But the cast is terrific, Curry 's cackle is chilling, and King 's usual buried theme -- about the pain adults inflict on children without even realizing it ( It ? ) -- is always worth pondering. '' The Hollywood Reporter called It `` one big kicky ride thanks to the charismatic acting of Curry as savage, sneering malevolence. '' Sandra Harris of Movie Pilot gave the film a positive review, noting : `` There 's some gorgeous scenery too and a nice interweaving of flashbacks with the regular scenes. For Stephen King fans, this film is a must for your collection. For fans of horror in general, I 'd say you could do a lot worse. Take the phone off the hook and burrow under the duvet for three hours with the popcorn and the remote control. '' Ian Jane of DVD Talk highlighted the mini-series ' combination of childhood nostalgia with horror elements and praised Curry 's performance as Pennywise. Bloody Disgusting 's John Campopiano commended director Tommy Lee Wallace for `` relying less on jump scares and more on creating an unsettling atmosphere to contrast against the kids and their stories. '' In 2017, Rolling Stone writer Sean T. Collins called the miniseries `` legendary '' and commented that it had become a cult classic. He said although the miniseries `` largely bungles Pennywise 's powers '', Curry 's portrayal of Pennywise is `` the stuff sleepless nights are made of. He gloats, he giggles, he taunts, he devours the scenery like the monster himself devours middle - schoolers -- and he generally sears his way right into the brain of the viewer. '' Dan Stephens from the UK website Top 10 Films awarded the film four out of five stars. In his review Stephens praised the film 's story, character development, and suspense during the first half. But criticized the second half as disappointing and criticizing the lack of `` friendship and togetherness '' of the main characters that was present during the first half, and clichéd ending. Stephen King commented on the miniseries in a 2015 interview, and was appreciative of it : `` You have to remember, my expectations were in the basement. Here was a book that sprawled over 1,000 pages, and they were going to cram it into four hours, with commercials. But the series really surprised me by how good it was. It 's a really ambitious adaptation of a really long book. '' Home media It was released on VHS and Laserdisc in 1991. The original VHS release was on two cassette tapes, one for each part. The VHS and Laserdisc releases feature It as originally aired. In 1998, It was re-released on VHS, this time, on one cassette tape ( in EP format ). The film was later released on DVD in 2002 and on Blu - ray on October 4, 2016. Both the DVD and the Blu - ray feature an edited version of the film, which presents It as one `` movie ''. The suicide scene at the end of Part 1 is shortened, the hotel scene from Part 2 is missing, and the graveyard scene toward the beginning of Part 2 is also slightly shortened to remove the on - screen credits that originally appeared. Musical score A 2 - CD release of the mini-series ' complete score by Richard Bellis was released on November 15, 2011. The music of the film ranges from orchestral music to trumpet - heavy music that accompanies the setting of Derry to unsteady electronic instrument arrangements for the film 's scarier moments. Bellis won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a mini-series or a Special ( Dramatic Underscore ) for his work on the film. Track listing Disc 1 No. Title Length 1. `` Main Title '' 1 : 52 2. `` Enter the Clown '' 3 : 04 3. `` Georgie Dies '' 4 : 17 4. `` Ben Gets the News '' 0 : 51 5. `` Punks '' 2 : 18 6. `` I Hate It Here '' 1 : 53 7. `` Bedroom Jazz Source '' 2 : 24 8. `` The Slap '' 1 : 45 9. `` Die if You Try '' 4 : 02 10. `` Richie 's Talk Show Play - Off '' 0 : 34 11. `` The Beast -- First Encounter '' 2 : 05 12. `` Mike Remembers '' 0 : 58 13. `` Mike Joins the Group '' 5 : 07 14. `` Pennywise '' 0 : 39 15. `` Circus Source '' 1 : 10 16. `` Target Practice '' 2 : 51 17. `` The Sewer Hole '' 3 : 13 18. `` Stan Gets Nabbed '' 4 : 27 19. `` The Fog '' 3 : 25 20. `` The Pact '' 1 : 43 21. `` Stan 's Suicide '' 0 : 50 22. `` End Credits I '' 1 : 00 Total length : 50 : 28 Disc 2 No. Title Length 1. `` Main Title Part II '' 1 : 51 2. `` The Graves '' 1 : 48 3. `` Library Balloons '' 2 : 53 4. `` Ben 's Flashback '' 0 : 35 5. `` Skeleton on the Pond '' 0 : 40 6. `` Guillory 's Muzak '' 1 : 27 7. `` Hydrox '' 2 : 49 8. `` Audra '' 1 : 45 9. `` Fortune Cookie '' 1 : 54 10. `` Silver Flyer '' 2 : 22 11. `` Leftover Stan '' 1 : 52 12. `` Henry and Belch '' 2 : 20 13. `` Every Thirty Years '' 1 : 56 14. `` Audra Arrives '' 2 : 02 15. `` This Time It 's for Real '' 4 : 26 16. `` The Smell of Death '' 1 : 59 17. `` Something 's Coming '' 4 : 00 18. `` The Spider 's Web '' 5 : 11 19. `` Hi Ho Silver '' 4 : 33 20. `` End Credits Part II '' 1 : 00 Total length : 47 : 23 References Jump up ^ Goble 1999, p. 260. ^ Jump up to : Alter, Ethan ( November 17, 2015 ). `` Back to Derry : An Oral History of ' Stephen King 's It ' ''. Yahoo !. Archived from the original on March 30, 2017. Retrieved December 28, 2016. Jump up ^ Graham - Dixon, Charles ( October 6, 2015 ). `` Why Stephen King 's IT scares off film - makers ''. The Guardian. Retrieved December 26, 2016. Jump up ^ O'Connell, Sarah ( August 17, 2016 ). `` I 'm Every Nightmare You 've Ever Had : 9 Insane Facts You Never Knew About ' IT ' ! ''. Movie Pilot. Retrieved December 26, 2016. Jump up ^ Magistrale 2003, p. 185. Jump up ^ Broeske, Pat H. ( April 5, 1990 ). `` Producers scare up 5 more King films ''. Los Angeles Times. p. D6. Retrieved December 28, 2016 -- via The Statesman. Jump up ^ Newton, Steve ( January 31, 2014 ). `` Horror in Vancouver : Stephen King 's evil clown stalks Stanley Park in 1990 ''. The Georgia Straight. Retrieved December 26, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Higgins, Bill ( September 7, 2017 ). `` Hollywood Flashback : Tim Curry Played ' It 's ' Scary Clown in 1990 ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 11, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Hastings, Deborah ( November 21, 1990 ). `` TV movies score big in Nielsen ratings ''. The Times - News. p. 12. Retrieved July 3, 2010 -- via Google Books. ^ Jump up to : Hastings, Deborah ( November 23, 1990 ). `` ABC posts first ratings win of the season ''. The Times - News. p. 10. Retrieved July 3, 2010 -- via Google Books. Jump up ^ `` It ''. Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved December 18, 2017. ^ Jump up to : Quoted in Beam 1998, p. 108 Jump up ^ Harris, Sandra ( March 30, 2015 ). `` Stephen King 's ' It. ' 1990 ''. Movie Pilot. Retrieved December 28, 2016. ^ Jump up to : Jane, Ian ( October 4, 2016 ). `` Stephen King 's It ( Blu - ray ) ''. DVD Talk. Retrieved December 28, 2016. Jump up ^ Campopiano, John ( September 7, 2017 ). `` Why We Should Enjoy ' IT ' 2017 Without Comparing to ' IT ' 1990 ''. Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved September 10, 2017. Jump up ^ Collins, Sean T. ( September 20, 2017 ). `` ' It ' : Everything You Need to Know About Stephen King 's Killer Clown Story ''. Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 11, 2017. Jump up ^ `` Review : Stephen King 's It - Top 10 Films ''. Top10Films.co.uk. Dan Stephens. Retrieved September 25, 2017. Jump up ^ Stephen King 's It ( VHS ). Amazon. ASIN 0790736039. CS1 maint : ASIN uses ISBN ( link ) ^ Jump up to : `` Stephen King 's It Soundtrack ''. Soundtrack.net. Retrieved June 4, 2015. Jump up ^ `` 43rd Emmy Awards Nominees and Winners ''. Emmys.com. Emmys. Retrieved September 21, 2017. Works cited Beahm, George ( September 1, 1998 ). Stephen King from A to Z : An Encyclopedia of His Life and Work. Andrews McMeel Publishing. ISBN 978 - 0 - 836 - 26914 - 7. Goble, Alan ( ed. ) ( January 1, 1999 ). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Bowker - Saur. ISBN 978 - 3 - 598 - 11492 - 2. CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list ( link ) Magistrale, Tony ( November 22, 2003 ). Hollywood 's Stephen King. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978 - 0 - 312 - 29321 - 5. External links Wikiquote has quotations related to : It ( miniseries ) It on IMDb It at AllMovie It at Rotten Tomatoes `` Back to Derry '' : An Oral History of ' Stephen King 's It ' at Yahoo ! Stephen King Bibliography Short fiction Unpublished and uncollected Awards and nominations Novels Carrie ( 1974 ) ' Salem 's Lot ( 1975 ) The Shining ( 1977 ) The Stand ( 1978 ) The Dead Zone ( 1979 ) Firestarter ( 1980 ) Cujo ( 1981 ) Christine ( 1983 ) Pet Sematary ( 1983 ) Cycle of the Werewolf ( 1983 ) The Talisman ( 1984 ) It ( 1986 ) The Eyes of the Dragon ( 1987 ) Misery ( 1987 ) The Tommyknockers ( 1987 ) The Dark Half ( 1989 ) Needful Things ( 1991 ) Gerald 's Game ( 1992 ) Dolores Claiborne ( 1992 ) Insomnia ( 1994 ) Rose Madder ( 1995 ) The Green Mile ( 1996 ) Desperation ( 1996 ) Bag of Bones ( 1998 ) The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon ( 1999 ) The Plant ( 2000 ; unfinished ) Dreamcatcher ( 2001 ) Black House ( 2001 ) From a Buick 8 ( 2002 ) The Colorado Kid ( 2005 ) Cell ( 2006 ) Lisey 's Story ( 2006 ) Duma Key ( 2008 ) Under the Dome ( 2009 ) 11 / 22 / 63 ( 2011 ) Joyland ( 2013 ) Doctor Sleep ( 2013 ) Mr. Mercedes ( 2014 ) Revival ( 2014 ) Finders Keepers ( 2015 ) End of Watch ( 2016 ) Gwendy 's Button Box ( 2017 ) Sleeping Beauties ( 2017 ) The Outsider ( 2018 ) The Dark Tower series The Gunslinger ( 1982 ) The Drawing of the Three ( 1987 ) The Waste Lands ( 1991 ) Wizard and Glass ( 1997 ) Wolves of the Calla ( 2003 ) Song of Susannah ( 2004 ) The Dark Tower ( 2004 ) The Wind Through the Keyhole ( 2012 ) Richard Bachman novels Rage ( 1977 ) The Long Walk ( 1979 ) Roadwork ( 1981 ) The Running Man ( 1982 ) Thinner ( 1984 ) The Bachman Books ( 1985 ) The Regulators ( 1996 ) Blaze ( 2007 ) Short fiction collections Night Shift ( 1978 ) Different Seasons ( 1982 ) Skeleton Crew ( 1985 ) Four past Midnight ( 1990 ) Nightmares & Dreamscapes ( 1993 ) Hearts in Atlantis ( 1999 ) Everything 's Eventual ( 2002 ) Just After Sunset ( 2008 ) Full Dark, No Stars ( 2010 ) The Bazaar of Bad Dreams ( 2015 ) Non-fiction Danse Macabre ( 1981 ) Nightmares in the Sky ( 1988 ) On Writing ( 2000 ) Secret Windows ( 2000 ) Faithful ( 2004 ) `` Guns '' ( 2013 ) Screenplays Creepshow ( 1982 ) Cat 's Eye ( 1985 ) Silver Bullet ( 1985 ) Maximum Overdrive ( 1986 ; also director ) Pet Sematary ( 1989 ) Sleepwalkers ( 1992 ) A Good Marriage ( 2014 ) Cell ( 2016 ) Teleplays `` Sorry, Right Number '' ( 1987 ) Golden Years ( 1991 ) The Stand ( 1994 ) The Shining ( 1997 ) `` Chinga '' ( 1998 ) Storm of the Century ( 1999 ) Rose Red ( 2002 ) Kingdom Hospital ( 2004 ) Desperation ( 2006 ) `` Heads Will Roll '' ( 2014 ) Comics Heroes for Hope ( 1985 ) American Vampire ( 2010 ) Musical collaborations Michael Jackson 's Ghosts ( 1997 ) Black Ribbons ( 2010 ) Ghost Brothers of Darkland County ( 2012 ) Anthologies edited The Best American Short Stories 2007 ( 2007 ) Six Scary Stories ( 2016 ) Worlds and concepts Fictional locations of Maine Jerusalem 's Lot Castle Rock Derry Fictional books Multiverse All - World Dollar Baby Related articles List of adaptations Books about Stephen King Rock Bottom Remainders Philtrum Press Six Stories Stephen King Goes to the Movies Charlie the Choo - Choo Hearts in Suspension Tabitha King Joe Hill Owen King Book Adaptations of works by Stephen King Films The Shining ( 1980 ) Cujo ( 1983 ) The Dead Zone ( 1983 ) Christine ( 1983 ) Cat 's Eye ( 1985 ) Silver Bullet ( 1985 ) The Running Man ( 1987 ) Tales from the Darkside : The Movie ( 1990 ) Graveyard Shift ( 1990 ) Misery ( 1990 ) Sleepwalkers ( 1992 ) Needful Things ( 1993 ) The Dark Half ( 1993 ) Dolores Claiborne ( 1995 ) Thinner ( 1996 ) The Night Flier ( 1997 ) The Green Mile ( 1999 ) Hearts in Atlantis ( 2001 ) Dreamcatcher ( 2003 ) Secret Window ( 2004 ) Riding the Bullet ( 2004 ) 1408 ( 2007 ) The Mist ( 2007 ) Dolan 's Cadillac ( 2009 ) A Good Marriage ( 2014 ) Mercy ( 2014 ) Cell ( 2016 ) The Dark Tower ( 2017 ) It ( 2017 ) Gerald 's Game ( 2017 ) 1922 ( 2017 ) Carrie Carrie ( 1976 ) The Rage : Carrie 2 ( 1999 ) Carrie ( 2002 ) Carrie ( 2013 ) Creepshow Creepshow ( 1982 ) Creepshow 2 ( 1987 ) Creepshow 3 ( 2007 ) Children of the Corn Disciples of the Crow ( 1983 ) Children of the Corn ( 1984 ) The Final Sacrifice ( 1992 ) Urban Harvest ( 1995 ) The Gathering ( 1996 ) Fields of Terror ( 1998 ) Isaac 's Return ( 1999 ) Revelation ( 2001 ) Children of the Corn ( 2009 ) Genesis ( 2011 ) Different Seasons Stand by Me ( 1986 ) The Shawshank Redemption ( 1994 ) Apt Pupil ( 1998 ) Firestarter Firestarter ( 1984 ) Rekindled ( 2002 ) Trucks Maximum Overdrive ( 1986 ) Trucks ( 1997 ) Pet Sematary Pet Sematary ( 1989 ) Pet Sematary Two ( 1992 ) The Mangler The Mangler ( 1995 ) The Mangler 2 ( 2002 ) The Mangler Reborn ( 2005 ) The Lawnmower Man The Lawnmower Man ( 1992 ) Beyond Cyberspace ( 1996 ) TV films, episodes, and miniseries `` Gramma '' ( 1986 ) `` Sorry, Right Number '' ( 1987 ) It ( 1990 ) The Tommyknockers ( 1993 ) The Stand ( 1994 ) The Langoliers ( 1995 ) The Shining ( 1997 ) Quicksilver Highway ( 1997 ) `` The Revelations of ' Becka Paulson '' ( 1997 ) Storm of the Century ( 1999 ) Stephen King 's Desperation ( 2006 ) Nightmares & Dreamscapes : From the Stories of Stephen King ( 2006 ) Bag of Bones ( 2011 ) Big Driver ( 2014 ) Salem 's Lot Salem 's Lot ( 1979 ) A Return to Salem 's Lot ( 1987 ) Salem 's Lot ( 2004 ) Sometimes They Come Back Sometimes They Come Back ( 1991 ) Sometimes They Come Back... Again ( 1996 ) Sometimes They Come Back... for More ( 1998 ) Rose Red Rose Red ( 2002 ) The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer ( 2003 ) TV series Golden Years ( 1991 ) The Dead Zone ( 2002 -- 2007 ) Kingdom Hospital ( 2004 ) Haven ( 2010 -- 2015 ) Under the Dome ( 2013 -- 2015 ) 11.22. 63 ( 2016 ) The Mist ( 2017 ) Mr. Mercedes ( 2017 -- present ) Castle Rock ( TBA ) Operas Dolores Claiborne ( 2013 ) The Shining ( 2016 ) Book Films directed by Tommy Lee Wallace Halloween III : Season of the Witch ( 1982 ) Aloha Summer ( 1988 ) Fright Night Part 2 ( 1988 ) It ( 1990 ) The Comrades of Summer ( 1992 ) Danger Island ( 1992 ) Witness to the Execution ( 1994 ) Once You Meet a Stranger ( 1996 ) Steel Chariots ( 1997 ) The Spree ( 1998 ) Vampires : Los Muertos ( 2002 ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=It_(miniseries)&oldid=819025499 '' Categories : 1990s American television miniseries 1990 American television series debuts 1990 American television series endings American horror fiction television series American supernatural horror films American monster movies Domestic violence in television Films about shapeshifting Films set in 1960 Films set in 1990 Films set in Maine Films shot in Vancouver Horror adventure films Horror drama films Horror films about clowns Horror television films Suicide in fiction Television programs based on works by Stephen King Hidden categories : CS1 maint : ASIN uses ISBN Use mdy dates from November 2017 Articles needing additional references from September 2017 All articles needing additional references Pages using infobox television with editor parameter Articles to be expanded from September 2017 All articles to be expanded Articles using small message boxes Articles containing potentially dated statements from December 2017 All articles containing potentially dated statements All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from September 2017 Track listings with deprecated parameters CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikiquote Azərbaycanca Čeština Deutsch Español Euskara Français Galego 한국어 Italiano Magyar Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Română Русский Simple English Suomi Svenska Українська 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 6 January 2018, at 23 : 49. 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Question: when did the it mini series come out
Answer: 1990