9 Parallels Between Stranger Things And IT


As Stranger Things dives deeper and deeper into the ’80s, fans can’t help but point out the many similarities between the series and the IT movies as the show develops. Considering both plots surround a friend group in the 1980s that navigates frightening mysteries, it’s not entirely far-fetched for the two to be completely different.



The two also share Finn Wolfhard in common, so it’s not hard for viewers to make a connection, especially because both Mike and Richie have similar personalities. Despite both the series and films even sharing some smaller details, like the shared names of Mike and Eddie, there are definitely some profound similarities between the two that fans can’t help but notice.

SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY

9 Takes Place In The ’80s

While IT takes place in the late ’80s, the movie is still subtly reminiscent of the times. Whereas Stranger Things plays into more of the fashion stereotypes and the true eccentric nature of the decade.

Related: The 10 Best Period Movies Set In The ’80s

Many fans enjoy the nostalgia from both projects, as it reminds them of the good old days of movie theaters and arcades. However, this similarity became more apparent to fans in a variety of ways, from the kids spending their time outside to even biking around town in the same ways.

8 Same Means Of Transportation

Considering the main characters in both the show and the movies are quite young, it’s a given that they need a speedy and reliable means of transportation. Obviously, most of the characters aren’t old enough to drive, but they are old enough to bike around town in groups.

When it comes to the ’80s, there wasn’t as much technological entertainment and kids were generally outdoors more often. So the fact that the kids are frequently biking around is not only historically accurate but a smart way to quickly travel or escape if needed.

7 A Kid Is Taken, Leaving Others To Find Him

It is a famous plot point in IT that little innocent Georgie gets taken by Pennywise on a rainy day in Derry. Similarly, mayhem in Stranger Things begins once Will is taken and held hostage in the Upside Down.

Though the Stranger Things kids had some unanswered questions about the Upside Down, they knew regardless that they had to save Will, no matter how dangerous. Although Georgie suffered an irreversible fate, both projects showed the pure chaos that ensued after both major characters went missing.


6 Comedic Relief In Times Of Danger

Despite the serious devastation going on in both Hawkins and Derry, the characters can’t help but offer some comedic relief. Whether it’s Richie endlessly roasting his friends or Dustin and Steve’s hilarious scenes in Stranger Things, sometimes some lighthearted jokes are necessary.

The subtle humor not only helps humanize the characters and their relationships, but the relief is necessary, for the sake of the scared viewers as well as the main characters in danger.

5 The Curse Attacks One Specific Town

Both Derry and Hawkins have somewhat of a curse on the town, with the primary villains attacking one place in particular. Despite the characters in both projects trying to leave the town at a certain point, they always find themselves coming back to save the world from destruction and chaos.

Related: 10 Things About The Town Of Hawkins That Don’t Make Sense

Whether the characters are dealing with the Upside Down and its creatures or Pennywise’s underground lair of disparity, there is a certain aspect that ties villains back to the specific town to wreak havoc on its townspeople. Though the common fan response is to urge the characters to move, the trauma and depression live with them, no matter how much they try to remove themselves.

4 Villain Preys On Fears And Trauma

It’s a known fact that Vecna chooses his victims by torturing those that are emotionally vulnerable thanks to their past trauma. Additionally, Pennywise uses the kids’ fears against them by scaring them with some truly haunting visions.

Related: 15 Facts About Pennywise That Were Left Out Of IT Chapter One & Two

It’s a pretty smart tactic for any villain to attack the most susceptible, as it garners the most terrifying reactions and puts them in a vulnerable state of weakness. However, this method has its own loopholes, as the characters can quickly distinguish what’s real and what’s not.

3 Villain Causes Characters To See Visions That Aren’t Real

Pennywise knows all the kids’ worst fears and taunts them with some truly terrifying visions. Aside from the terrifying fact that Pennywise can shapeshift into anybody or anything, he can make the kids see whatever he wants, which is precisely the same power that Vecna has once entered his victims’ minds.

From the lepers that chase after Eddie in an attempt to infect him or Vecna making Chrissy see haunting visions of her verbally abusive mother, both villains have a knack for messing with the minds of their victims, shaking them up enough to mess with them.

2 Heroes Going Into A House To Find The Source

Fans discovered in the most recent season of Stranger Things that it was imminent for the crew to go into the Creel house, as that’s where Vecna was located in the Upside Down when he controlled his victims. The kids in IT also go into the creepiest house in town to track down the evil clown.

These houses play a huge role in both of the plots, from truly frightening IT moments like the kids from IT having to pick a scary door that determines their fate to the Stranger Things kids hunting down Vecna’s location in the Upside Down version of the Creel house. The two are eerily similar in the fact that both groups have to hunt down “the source” in the houses.


1 Levitation And Possession By Villains

Despite the eery similarity of each project’s main redhead being controlled by the villain, fans have noticed after season four of Stranger Things that even the possessions look the same. “You’ll float too” is a famous quote from the IT franchise, as it foreshadows the fate that the characters could fall into with one wrong move while encountering Pennywise.

Similarly, one tell-tale sign of Vecna’s presence in Stranger Things is the levitation of his victims as their eyes glaze over. However, Vecna’s curse is slightly more terrifying, as characters can always tell when a character is about to meet their imminent death by their bones and jaws snapping.

NEXT: 10 Best TV Shows To Watch On Netflix This Month



Source link