Gay in it

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Being chased by a 20ft Paul Bunyan statue yelling "Give me a kiss, Richie!" would be terrifying for anyone, and it's made more so by IT Chapter 2'sPennywise in its use of shame as a weapon.

"But, I love that love story.

It's also a change that King himself supports, telling Vanity Fairthat Richie's new subtext is “one of those things that’s kind of genius because it echoes the beginning. Despite those not being his original intentions for the character, King also noted how he appreciated the inclusion of this character development as it mirrored the horrifying hate crime of the film and book’s opening.

WARNING: Spoilers below for IT CHAPTER TWO

While IT CHAPTER TWO never explicitly states that Bill Hader‘s Richie Tozier is gay, multiple scenes heavily imply he’s hiding the “secret” of his sexuality, with James Ransone’s Eddie Tozier being the subject of those unrequited feelings.

Somebody cares for [Eddie,]” the author added. I think that is a special part of the movie and a special part of the character. During a terrifying flashback sequence involving clown Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard), “It: Chapter Two” firmly establishes that Richie is not strictly heterosexual, and that the revelation that he is indeed interested in men is actually one of his biggest fears.
Specifically, he has feelings for Eddie Kaspbrak (played by Jack Dylan Grazer and James Ransone).

IT Chapter Two largely followed said adult versions of the characters as they sought to defeat once and for all an even more vicious and vengeful Pennywise. But was that always the case, especially in King's source material? While it didn’t quite catch up to the first film’s record-breaking $123 million debut in 2017, the gross represented two thirds of all tickets sold this weekend in the U.S.

and Canada.
“It: Chapter Two” is currently in theaters.

Richie Has a Secret in 'IT Chapter 2' and Pennywise Knows What It Is (SPOILERS!)

The highly anticipated IT Chapter 2is going beyond the Stephen King book.

It comes full circle.”

In the novel and this sequel film, a gay couple is targeted by homophobic residents of Derry, Maine, resulting in the death Adrian Mellon. Directed by Andrés Muschietti, the film starred Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things) and Jack Dylan Grazer (Shazam!) as two members of The Losers' Club, who find themselves tormented by a demonic entity (Bill Skarsgård).

Though the two had often been depicted as close, the carving, when coupled with the aforementioned secret, produced the connotation that Richie's feelings for Eddie had been more romantic all along. “And that echoes the love that Adrian’s partner has for him. However, there was nothing to imply that their dynamic was anything but a deep friendship.

Richie Wasn't Gay In The Book

In the IT book, Richie does, indeed, center a lot of his attention on teasing Eddie — even calling him "cute" on many occasions.

The shame is then used as an object of terror, and it's quite shocking that it hasn't been used in a horror movie up until this point.

This makes Pennywise a far more terrifying villain, capable of using people's secrets against them and using shame as an instrument of terror. As was demonstrated in IT Chapter One, the pair were close in the book — with Richie even going on to kiss Eddie on the cheek following his sacrifice.

Granted, Pennywise does assume the form of Eddie in order to lure Richie from IT into one of his nightmarish scenarios. “It: Chapter Two” grossed $91 million on its opening weekend for Warner Bros., providing a needed facelift to a floundering box office. The movie slowly reveals hints of him being gay, and he even mentions several unsuccessful relationships with women in the movie.

So that was cool.”

IT CHAPTER TWO is in theaters now.

What did you think about Richie’s reveal? Well, the simple answer would be an emphatic no. Throughout IT Chapter Two, Pennywise's method of tormenting Richie centered on a "secret" that he was keeping: that he's gay.

Related: IT Chapter Two: Cast & Character Guide

That secret is revealed in a flashback featuring the homophobic Henry Bowers and then more overtly towards IT Chapter Two's ending.