‘IT’: What Does Stephen King Think About Richie and Eddie’s Romance?
If it wasn’t for Stephen King, fans wouldn’t be blessed with the wonderful world of IT. And one of the most treasured aspects of King’s colossal novel is the friendship shared between the members of The Losers’ Club. Yet for some members, their relationships extend far beyond friendship- And we’re not just referring to Ben Hanscom and Beverly Marsh here.
Another beautiful romance that’s derived from the group is shared between Richie Tozier and Eddie Kaspbrak. Tragically, Richie never got the chance to admit his true feelings for his first love after Eddie’s demise. Yet still, fans of IT keep praising “Reddie” as one of the best aspects of the novel/movies. But what does the creator himself think about the romance between his characters?
Bill Hader and Andy Muschietti had a long talk about Richie’s sexuality
Bill Hader, who plays the adult version of Richie, had a long talk with the film’s director about his character’s feelings for Eddie. They discussed how overt they wanted to make Richie’s sexuality in the film. Muschietti questioned whether or not Richie’s love for Eddie should be kept more subtle, but Hader fought against this.
He told The New York Times that it was important for the film to be blatant about his sexuality.
Hader revealed, “Andy and I talked about how overt we should make it, and I said if it’s not overt, then why is it in the movie? You can’t do a half measure on it. You’ve got to go the full way or don’t even allude to it. Let’s not be coy. Let’s just say what it is.”
Did Stephen King intend for Richie Tozier to be in love with Eddie Kaspbrak?
In King’s novel, there is without question a flirtatious relationship between Eddie and Richie. Richie is always finding creative ways to get a rise out of Eddie, and he loves to remind him how “cute” he is. Richie’s reaction to Eddie’s death is heartbreaking in the novel as well, and he clearly has the strongest reaction to Eddie’s death out of all the Losers’.
But as much as it seems like King intended for their relationship to be romantic in nature, the author says he didn’t write the book with this angle in mind.
Still, he considers Richie and Eddie’s dynamic in the film to be “genius.”
In an interview with Vanity Fair, King explained his thoughts on their romance. He told the magazine, “It’s one of those things that’s kind of genius.”
How Richie Tozier’s biggest fear in ‘IT Chapter 2’ reflects his sexual orientation
Pennywise is a shape-shifting clown, who is able to take on the form of everyone’s greatest fears. The second film in the franchise takes their worst nightmares a step further, by honing in on their greatest psychological fears.
Rather than being afraid of werewolves and vampires like in the book, the Losers’ fears are more akin to their real-life insecurities.
The World of IT explains how the Paul Bunyan statue symbolizes Richie’s fear of his sexuality.
“Pennywise takes the form of a massive Paul Bunyan statue in the park to frighten Richie,” the book explains. “A clear symbol of the masculinity that both attracts and scares Richie. His initial encounter with the statue comes after he first recognizes his attraction to the same sex. When he stares a little too long at a boy at the arcade- and is taunted because of it.”
