Warner Bros. Sets 2017 Release Dates for Stephen King’s ‘It’ and ‘CHiPs’
Warner Bros. has announced release dates for two of their upcoming adaptations / reboots, adding both films — along with an untitled mystery project — to their 2017 slate. First up is CHiPs, Dax Shepard’s new action-comedy based on the classic ’80s TV series, starring Shepard and Michael Peña in the leading roles. Next is It, the long-developing and slightly-delayed adaptation of Stephen King’s beloved horror novel, which became the subject of some minor controversy following director Cary Fukunaga’s departure.
Although we still have no idea who’s actually starring in It, Deadline reports that the new adaptation from director Andres Muschietti (Mama) will hit theaters on September 9, 2017 — it’s a smart month for a riskier horror project, as the first month of the post-blockbuster season tends to be a bit dead. David Kajganich (The Invasion) and Gary Dauberman (Annabelle) recently reworked the original script by Fukunaga and Chase Palmer, while no casting has yet been announced. Will Poulter (The Revenant) was rumored for the role of Pennywise before Fukunaga’s departure, and reports suggest that Muschietti may have stuck to that casting.
Meanwhile, CHiPs will hit theaters on August 11, 2017, where it will compete with Sony’s baffling Emoji Movie. Directed by Dax Shepard and starring Shepard, Michael Peña and Kristen Bell, the film follows two California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers as they make their rounds. Even though the film is based on an action-comedy series and has been described as such in reports, Peña has said in interviews that this version of CHiPs will actually have a more action-oriented and serious tone.
Warner Bros. also dated an untitled PG-13 comedy for December 22, 2017 — fairly daring, considering Star Wars: Episode VIII arrives one week earlier.