JAMES MCAVOY & BILL HADER IN TALKS TO PLAY BILL & RICHIE IN IT: CHAPTER 2

With Jessica Chastain officially on board “It: Chapter 2,” New Line has now begun to zero in on who will play the rest of the Losers Club with James McAvoy and Bill Hader in talks to join the next installment.

Sources tell Variety that McAvoy is in talks for the role of Bill, who was played by Jaeden Lieberher in the first pic, while Hader is in talks for the role of Richie, which was played by Finn Wolfhard in the last film. As previously announced, Chastain will play Beverly.

Director Andy Muschietti is back to direct, with Gary Dauberman penning the script.

Sources stress that negotiations are early and that the script is still being worked on, but both sides have officially begun discussing her coming on to the project. Bill Skarsgard is also expected to return as Pennywise. The sequel will bow on Sept. 6, 2019, with production expected to start this summer.

Muschietti told Variety last fall that he hoped to bring all of the original actors back for flashback sequences in the sequel but sources say that is still being worked out.

“Chapter One” of “It” followed the first half of Stephen King’s eponymous novel, telling the story of a group of children who are terrorized by Pennywise the Clown and forced to face their own demons to defeat him. “Chapter Two” will follow the last half of the novel, when the characters return to their hometown years later as adults to face Pennywise once again.

The film was a massive hit, grossing $700 million worldwide including $327 domestically.

McAvoy is no stranger to franchises, having played Charles Xavier in the recent “X-Men” franchise. He can be seen next in “Glass,” the sequel to the smash hit “Split,” reprising his acclaimed role of Kevin Crumb. He is repped by UTA and United Agents.

Hader can currently be seen on the HBO series “Barry, ” which was recently renewed for a second season. The film gives Hader, who is best known for his comedic roles on “Saturday Night Live” and in “Trainwreck,” the chance to show his dramatic range, while also delivering his comedic flare that the character Richie is known for.

He is also repped by UTA.