Does Pennywise Exist In The 'Stranger Things' Universe? Check Out All The Evidence From Season 2?
Fans of Stranger Things are well-aware of the pop culture references scattered throughout the series. The Duffer Brothers, who created the show, are very outspoken about the cultural inspirations for their Netflix hit. Many fans have pointed out how parts of the story parallel with tales from the genius mind of Stephen King ... but have they outright incorporated one of those tales in Season 2?
(Note: This article contains heavy spoilers for the second season of Stranger Things.)
2017 was a big year for King as an array of his projects were adapted to the screen, the largest being the re-imagination of his beloved #horror novel, #It. The film became a blockbuster and was regarded as one of the must-see movies of the year. It looks like the Duffer Brothers had a feeling that Pennywise would make a successful comeback and decided to throw in a number of It-inspired references.
A new fan theory is even suggesting that both Stranger Thingsand It could exist in the same universe — with evidence surrounding heavily around newcomer Bob Newby (Sean Astin).
Stranger Facts @UpsideDownFacts
Bob’s parents are from Maine, and he was haunted by an evil clown when he was a kid which would’ve been in the late 50’s #StrangerThings
A Twitter account dedicated to Stranger Things-related facts has pointed out the similarities between Bob's background and the twisted tale of It. As Bob tries to give Will advice about overcoming fear, he uses a childhood story about having nightmares about a clown who would repeatedly haunt him. He impersonated the clown using a voice that sounded very similar to Pennywise while even using a line about wanting a balloon.
To add more evidence, as detailed in the above tweet, Bob's family is from Maine and would have grown up there in the late '50s. The original It takes place in the Maine town of Derry around the same time. We know that Bob went to high school in Hawkins, but could he have left his hometown at an early age because of a traumatic experience?
Considering the Duffer Brothers don't own the rights to both properties, we know that there cannot be any real confirmation of a crossover. That doesn't mean that the duo can't hint at a connection. Bob may have been perceived as a dork but he was one of the most kindhearted souls to appear on the series thus far. If you think about it, couldn't you see him as a member of the Loser's Club at an early age? It is definitely interesting that Bob was able to figure out how Will's drawings mapped out the tunnels below Hawkins — sounds similar to the sewers lying beneath Derry, doesn't it?
Sadly, Bob didn't make it out of this season alive but at least we got a Goonies reference before his death. And the It nods didn't end with Bob. Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike in Stranger Things,also starred as Richie in the 2017 remake of #It. He even says the same line in both projects:
Stranger Facts @UpsideDownFacts
Finn Wolfhard says the same line in both #StrangerThings and the movie IT
As the Duffer Brothers continue to keep us on our toes with these fun nods and Easter Eggs, it will be interesting to see what sort of projects will heavily inspire the third season. We only just scratched the surface with Max — maybe she will go on to become the series' equivalent to Beverly Marsh.
Stranger Things Season 2 is now available on Netflix!