James McAvoy, Bill Hader in Talks to Star in ‘It: Chapter Two’

James McAvoy and Bill Hader are in negotiations to join Jessica Chastain in It: Chapter Two.

The second installment of New Line’s adaptation of Stephen King’s It focuses on the adult versions of the characters that were subjected to the terror of demon clown Pennywise, last seen in the 2017 movie that grossed $700 million worldwide.

If the deals are made, McAvoy would play the role of the adult Bill Denbrough, the unofficial leader of the group of kids nicknamed the Losers Club, who grows up to be a successful author. When he returns to face his past, his old stutter resurfaces. Jaeden Lieberher played the character in the first movie. Hader would play the adult Richie Tozier, the jokester who grows up to be a DJ. Finn Wolfhard played the character in the first installment.

Chastain is already on board to play Beverly Marsh, the group’s lone female member who as an adult ends up in an abusive marriage. Bill Skarsgard will return as Pennywise.

The kid actors from the movie, Lieberher and Wolfhard among them, are expected to return for the second chapter in flashback scenes.

It: Chapter Two is scheduled to begin production in July and is set to be released in theaters by Warner Bros. on Sept. 6, 2019.

Andy Muschietti and Gary Dauberman are back as director and screenwriter, respectively.

Barbara Muschietti, Dan Lin and Roy Lee are producing. Executive producing are Seth Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg.

McAvoy last year starred in the hit horror movie Split and appeared with Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde. The actor, repped by UTA and United Agents, next stars in X-Men: Dark Phoenix and the Split follow-up Glass.

Former Saturday Night Live castmember Hader currently stars in HBO’s Barry, a dark comedy about a hitman moving through Los Angeles’ acting classes scene. The show has received rave reviews and was just renewed for a second season. Hader is repped by UTA.