'IT Chapter Two' Was Filled With So Many Easter Eggs You Definitely Missed
There is much more to IT Chapter Two than meets the eye. The newly released horror sequel, which hit theaters on Sept. 6, picks up 27 years after the events of 2017's IT, and like that first movie, it is also filled with tons of subtle nods to Stephen King's work and '80s pop culture, among other things. Even if you are an IT super-fan, chances are you probably missed a bunch of these little, meta details that add another level of fun and cleverness to the movie. But don't worry, because you can check out the best IT Chapter Two easter eggs below.
IT Chapter Two is definitely pretty scary, but make sure not to cover your eyes or hide behind a blanket while watching, or you just might miss these tiny nuggets of throwback goodness. In fact, for those of you who do get spooked pretty easily, these easter eggs should actually help make watching the film a bit easier, since they provide some humor and levity during some of the really suspenseful moments. Whether you're watching the movie for the first time, or you're already gearing up for your umpteenth rewatch, these easter eggs are sure to make you smile through all the screaming.
Spoiler alert: Spoilers for IT Chapter Two are below.
1. Maturin The Turtle
Although the god-like, cosmic turtle Maturin plays a pretty notable part in Stephen King's original 1986 novel IT, the modern adaptations have chosen to gloss over the intergalactic aspects of the story. That is probably for the best, since going from Derry, Maine, to the cosmos can make things very confusing very fast in the movie world. But Maturin still get his due in some subtle shoutouts. The first movie includes a number of turtles, and IT Chapter Two prominently features a turtle in the classroom during Ben's flashback scene.
2. Stephen King
The most obvious reference in the whole movie is the sudden appearance of none other than Stephen King himself. The IT author shows up as the pawn shop owner who sells Bill his old bike back.
3. "I Didn't Like The Ending"
Stephen King got to add an extra layer of meta humor to his cameo by telling Bill he was not a fan of the ending to his novel. Bill's career as a horror author is clearly meant to mirror King's own, and the bit with characters critiquing Bill for the endings of his works is a play on the widespread criticism of King's own story endings.
4. Stan's Bird Puzzle
When fans first see the adult Stanley Uris, he is working on a puzzle full of pictures of birds. In the original novel and the subsequent '90s miniseries, Stan has a passion for birdwatching. That hobby never made it into these new adaptations, but the birds in the puzzle serve as a nod.
5. Another Ben
The most drastic change in the Losers Club in IT Chapter Two is Ben Hanscom, who is basically unrecognizable as a chiseled architect now that he's grown up. Jay Ryan plays the adult Ben and Jeremy Ray Taylor still appears as the young Ben in flashbacks, but there is actually yet another Ben hidden in the movie: In his introduction scene, Ben is holding a meeting for his architect firm, and one of the executives making a pitch is played by Brandon Crane, who played young Ben in the IT miniseries on ABC back in the '90s.
6. Meg Ryan's Influence
At the beginning of IT Chapter Two, the doomed character of Adrian taunts his soon-to-be attackers by saying their hair looks like Meg Ryan's wig. Later in the movie, Derry's seemingly abandoned movie theater features a torn poster for Ryan's 1998 movie You've Got Mail.
7. Gazebos
After the Ritual of Chüd fails to capture IT, Pennywise taunts Mike by saying the ritual was just a "gazebo." The line is a callback to the first movie, in which Eddie mistakenly calls the fake pills his mother has been giving him gazebos instead of placebos.
8. Richie's Insult Of Choice
In the middle of the climactic battle, Bill Hader's character Richie offers a brief moment of humor when he calls IT a "sloppy b*itch" while hurling a rock at him. Judging from a 2016 interview on Conan, this line was taken from Hader's real life. In the interview, Hader revealed that "sloppy b*tch" is his go-to insult when he gets angry while playing video games.
9. Branson Buddinger
At the very end of the movie, Mike is finally ready to move on from Derry and his obsession with figuring out IT's relationship to the town. As he leaves his library home, viewers see he has been studying a historical text written by Branson Buddinger this whole time. This is a reference to Stephen King's novel, as Mike also uses a book written by local historian Branson Buddinger to learn more about Derry.
These easter eggs are honestly too good — BRB, rewatching to see if there are any more hidden gems to look out for!
