Fans have eagerly awaited the casting announcements for the adult Losers' Club in IT: Chapter 2, the sequel to last years $700 million global smash-hit. There have been plenty of fan castings in that time -- even from the actual young actors who played the Losers. Some of these have even come true, with Jessica Chastain and Bill Hader signed on to the sequel, with James McAvoy, James Ransone, and Jay Ryan filling out other spots. The only Loser left was Mike Hanlon, but now Adult Mike has been found and fans of Old Spice might find him familiar: Isaiah Mustafa.
Moviegoers may recognize Isaiah Mustafa best from a series of surreal Old Spice commercials, wherein the actor played a mythical (and funny) heartthrob. These commercials were really popular back in the day, and since then, Mustafa has appeared in a variety of television roles. Most recently he's been starring in Freeform's Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments, and his casting in IT: Chapter 2 is likely the biggest role of his career. As a reminder, you can check out one of those Old Spice commercials, below.
The casting news was confirmed by Chosen Jacobs, who plays the young Mike Hanlon in IT, on his Instagram page. There aren't a whole lot of other details at the moment, but Isaiah Mustafa will join Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, James Ransone, and Jay Ryan in what's shaping up to be a very solid cast for the horror sequel. The adults will once again have to return to Derry and face their reawakened nightmare, Pennywise, with Bill Skarsgård reprising his now iconic performance as the demon clown.
All in all, I'd say this is some very good casting for Mike. Mustafa might have a bit more of a reputation for being funnier because of the Old Spice commercials, but I think he has the gravitas (it's all in the voice) to play perhaps the most grounded and relatable of the Losers. In the books, Mike plays a huge role in the portion of the story that takes place in the present. However, some of Mike's stuff was giving to Ben in the movie, which disappointed some fans, so we'll see if Mike has a bigger part to play in the sequel.
So far, IT: Chapter 2 is really shaping up. The creative team has built up a nice looking cast with a mix of big names, strong talent, and spot-on casting. (Bill Hader as Richie is beyond perfect). Andy Muschietti is back as director, in addition to original screenwriter Gary Dauberman. The sequel is scheduled to begin production in July and is set to be released in theaters by Warner Bros. on Sept. 6, 2019.
We're likely a long way off from any official images or footages, but stick with CinemaBlend and we'll be sure to keep you updated with more information as soon as it becomes available. Here's everything we know about the sequel.
