From Ripley to Rainier, Selene to Strode, the horror genre hasn’t been left wanting for strong and compelling female characters, and that’s something that Jessica Chastain stands by even to this day.
The two-time Oscar nominee recently climbed aboard It: Chapter Two to play adult Bev (check out her retro-inspired hairdo), and booking her ticket to Derry, Maine was an easy decision for Chastain to make, given it heralds a reunion with Mama director Andy Muschietti.
But on a more general note, Chastain maintains that when it comes to nuanced female leads, the horror genre is practically in a league of its own. So whereas summer blockbusters typically have a soft spot for buff male protagonists, cult classics like Halloween and A Nightmare on Elm Street often shift the focus over to horror’s leading ladies. This is the genre in which Scream Queen and Final Girls made their name, after all.
And when IndieWire (h/t Bloody Disgusting) spoke to Jessica Chastain about It: Chapter Two, the actress couldn’t help but gush about the industry’s spookiest genre.
I actually love the horror genre. The horror genre really has great female characters. I’m very happy to work again in a genre that actually has empowered women. And in that genre, you usually see the person surviving at the end being the lady. Do you know what I mean? She conquers the monsters or the bad guys, and she walks away at the end.
On the casting front, It: Chapter Two has cobbled together a truly stellar ensemble. Not only has Jessica Chastain clinched the role of adult Beverly Marsh, but Split actor James McAvoy has signed on Bill Denbrough. They’ll be joined by Bill Hader as Richie Tozier, James Ransone as Eddie Kaspbrak, Andy Bean as Stanley Uris, Jay Ryan as Ben Hanscom and Isaiah Mustafa as Mike Hanlon. New Line has also found its adult Henry Bowers.
It: Chapter Two will be officially summoned into theaters on September 6th, 2019.
