It Chapter Two is the 2019 sequel to It from 2017. It grossed $473.1 million worldwide against about $702.8 million for the first film, about $230 million less and roughly one-third below, according to Box Office Mojo title data via Wikipedia. Domestically, the sequel earned $211.6 million versus about $327.5 million for the original. Internationally, it earned $261.5 million versus $375.3 million, as reported in Wikipedia's box-office summaries citing Box Office Mojo and Deadline.
Table of Contents
- How did the domestic openings compare?
- Where did the sequel lose ground?
- Why did costs matter more for Chapter Two?
- What did the two films achieve together?
How did the domestic openings compare?
It opened to about $123.1-$123.4 million in September 2017. New Line Cinema and Warner Bros.
reported it as the then-largest horror opening, September opening, and R-rated preview opening. It Chapter Two opened to $91 million from 4,570 screens in September 2019. That trailed only its predecessor as the second-highest horror and September opening ever, according to Associated Press reporting.
Where did the sequel lose ground?
The gap widened after opening weekend. The first film held stronger in both major markets. The sequel finished behind by more than $100 million domestically and internationally.
- Domestic: about $327.5 million for It versus $211.6 million for Chapter Two
- International: $375.3 million for It versus $261.5 million for Chapter Two
- Worldwide: roughly $702.8 million for It versus $473.1 million for Chapter Two
Why did costs matter more for Chapter Two?
Chapter Two cost about $79 million to make, roughly double the first film's $35-40 million, according to BusinessMirror distribution reporting from Warner Bros.. A larger budget means a film must earn more to reach the same return.
So Chapter Two could succeed while leaving a smaller profit margin. Its lower gross came against a higher cost base. That combination confirmed sequel drop-off rather than franchise failure.
What did the two films achieve together?
Together, the films passed $1 billion worldwide. After Chapter Two's second weekend, the pairing stood at about $700.4 million for It plus $323.3 million for the sequel, reported by Hypebeast and CBR as a two-film billion-dollar horror franchise.
Readers should treat published totals as close estimates, not exact counts. Trackers and revisions place It between $700 million and $703 million, and Box Office Mojo figures are unadjusted for inflation.