James Ransone in ‘Sinister 2.’ Photo: Blumhouse/Focus Features.
Preview:
Actor James Ransone has died aged 46.
He appeared in the likes of ‘It: Chapter Two’ and ‘The Wire.’
Ransone also showed up in ‘Bosch’ and ‘The Black Phone.’
James Ransone, the American actor whose magnetic intensity and emotional range brought to life some of modern television and horror cinema’s most memorable characters, has died at the age of 46. According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, Ransone died by suicide on December 19, 2025.
Ransone’s wife Jamie McPhee shared this statement to Instagram:
“I told you I have loved you 1000 times before and I know I will love you again. You told me – I need to be more like you and you need to be more like me – and you were so right. Thank you for giving me the greatest gifts – you, Jack and Violet. We are forever.”
(L to R) James McAvoy, James Ransone and Isaiah Mustafa in ‘It Chapter Two’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Born June 2, 1979, in Baltimore, Maryland, James Finley Ransone III saw his career segue from regional stages to Hollywood Educated at the George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology and briefly at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, Ransone’s formative years were steeped in exploration and artistic curiosity.
His breakthrough came in 2003 with his portrayal of Ziggy Sobotka in the second season of HBO’s ‘The Wire’ — a role that instantly marked him as a compelling presence capable of channeling vulnerability, volatility, and heartbreaking earnestness.
James Ransone: Television and film
(L to R): James Ransone and Jessica Chastain in ‘It: Chapter Two.’ Photo: New Line.
Over more than two decades, Ransone built a body of work remarkable for both its diversity and depth. On television, he appeared in acclaimed series such as ‘Generation Kill,’‘Bosch’ and ‘Poker Face,’ embodying characters that ranged from manic dreamers to battle-hardened marines.
In cinema, he was equally dynamic. Ransone’s filmography included the gritty indie ‘Tangerine,’ and a string of standout genre performances: the unnerving Deputy in ‘Sinister’ and ‘Sinister 2,’ the emotionally fractured adult Eddie Kaspbrak in ‘It: Chapter Two,’ and the troubled Max in ‘The Black Phone’ and its 2025 sequel.
James Ransone: Legacy
Ransone’s legacy cannot be measured by any single role or genre. His career spanned gritty prestige television, independent drama, and mainstream horror, creating an indelible imprint on each. His chameleon-like ability to disappear into character made him a favorite of both auteurs and genre filmmakers, and his work will continue to be rediscovered and cherished.
He is survived by his wife and their children.
James Ransone in ‘Sinister 2.’ Photo: Blumhouse/Focus Features.
Bill Skarsgård in ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’. Photo: Brooke Palmer/HBO.
Arriving on HBO Max on October 22 with its first episode is ‘IT: Welcome to Derry,’ which turns the clock back to 1962 so as to explore more of the dark history of the titular town and the equally titular presence, who feeds on fear and terrorizes the locals.
(L to R): Mikkal Karim-Fidler, Clara Stack and Jack Molloy Legault in ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’. Photo: Brooke Palmer/HBO.
While prequels have been around for years, it feels like we’ve been besieged by them in recent years, especially as studios and TV networks seek to find new ways to explore established franchises.
It’s a tough tightrope to walk –– audiences can tire of learning too much about certain characters (‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’ is an example), while lazy storytelling can creep in. But refreshingly, ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’ is a worthwhile addition to the canon of a story that began with Stephen King’s 1986 novel and has been most famously adapted into two big screen outings.
Script and Direction
Chris Chalk in ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’. Photo: Brooke Palmer/HBO.
‘Welcome to Derry’, thanks to the presence of some of the filmmaking team, faithfully connects to the movies without too many overt references. The show’s plotline and characters are smartly drawn, offering layered approaches to a variety of stories, not the least of which is Taylour Paige and Jovan Adepo as Charlotte and Leroy Hanlon, the latter of whom links the townsfolk with the nearby army base and the military’s attempts to learn more about its dark secret.
Andy Muschietti, who directed both the more recent movies, gives the show its own signature blend of everyday life and gory, bone-chilling scares.
Cast and Performances
Taylour Paige in ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’. Photo: Brooke Palmer/HBO.
It’s kudos to both the creators and the rest of the cast that the series doesn’t lean on Skarsgård’s creep-tastic Pennywise to generate its scares, at least not in his actual clown form. Paige and Adepo are both great, but the real winners are among the younger cast (including Amanda Christine and Clara Stack, who offer naturalistic work in the face of some truly terrifying set pieces.
Final Thoughts
Blake Cameron James in ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’. Photo: Brooke Palmer/HBO.
‘Welcome to Derry’ proves to be that rare prequel that works to enhance what has gone before, and finds interesting angles to peek into beyond even Stephen King’s source work.
Kicking off just before Halloween, it’s ideal creepy viewing for a fall evening.
‘IT: Welcome to Derry’ receives 82 out of 100.
Kimberly Guerrero in ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’. Photo: Brooke Palmer/HBO.
What’s the plot of ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’?
The show is set in 1962, 27 years before the events of ‘IT: Chapter One’ (which updated the book’s 1957 setting to 1988). The show dives into the lore of Pennywise and the town’s horrific history, drawing heavily from the “interludes” in King’s original novel — the eerie flashbacks and historical tragedies Mike Hanlon researched as an adult.
Bill Skarsgård in 2017’s ‘It’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Preview:
Bill Skarsgård is slapping on his Pennywise make-up again.
He’ll appear in the ‘It’ prequel series on Max.
Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo and Chris Chalk are among the cast.
Given the success of the two ‘It’ movie adaptations, it was somehow inevitable that the story would continue somehow. And indeed, a TV prequel –– with the working title of ‘Welcome to Derry’, after the town in the movies and Stephen King’s book –– was announced as in the works last year.
And now a key element of the movie is returning, as Bill Skarsgård is ready to head to clown town again, reprising his role as demonic entity Pennywise.
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What’s the story of the ‘It’ prequel?
Bill Skarsgård in 2017’s ‘It’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
‘Welcome to Derry’, or whatever it ends up being titled, is also based on King’s ‘It’ book, with the movies’ director Andy Muschietti working with producer/sister Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs (who revised the ‘It: Chapter Two’ script and was a co-producer on that movie) to devise a new story that takes place before the events of the movies. Brad Kane and Fuchs are running the show, and the cameras have been rolling since April.
Andy Muschietti is directing four episodes of a planned nine-episode season.
How Pennywise fits into the story remains to be seen, but we predict he’ll be up to his old tricks terrifying (and killing) people.
Who is in the ‘It’ prequel series?
Jovan Adepo plays Sidney Palmer in ‘Babylon’ from Paramount Pictures.
The cast for the series already includes Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, and James Remar. And while Skarsgård previously indicated he wasn’t sure if he’d be involved with the series, it sounds like he was just waiting for a deal to be locked in.
What has Skarsgård been saying about his prior Pennywise experience?
Bill Skarsgård stars in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’
The actor has been talking recently about an uncomfortable early experience with the role of Pennywise, revealing that he wasn’t sure about Warner Bros.’ idea to showcase his look as the character a year before the first movie itself arrived.
“When you are 26, you don’t feel young at all, but now, looking back at it, I was a kid. [The studio] did a thing that I felt was kind of mean. It was fairly early on in my career to take on something that had so many eyeballs and expectations on it. I was so incredibly nervous to start this job, and then the Internet is having so many hateful opinions on the weird, strange look of the thing.”
While HBO/Max haven’t confirmed an exact launch date for the series, it should be on TV in 2025 (surely nearer Halloween since that feels like the right time for an ‘It’ project).
Bill Skarsgård in 2017’s ‘It’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
This fall brings some big movies, including “Frozen II,” “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” and the second chapter of “IT,” as well as Oscar hopefuls “Joker,” “Ad Astra,” “Harriet,” and “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood,” to name a few.
Here’s 33 movies you’re going to want to see in theaters. (Check back later for our Winter/Holiday preview closer to December. )
The members of the Losers Club are all grown-up, but no less haunted by the evil Pennywise in “Chapter Two.” We can’t wait for the conclusion to this horror epic, whose stellar cast is led by Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, and, of course, Bill Skarsgard as the child-eating clown they can’t seem to escape.
Ansel Elgort stars as Theo in this mystery based on the best-selling book by Donna Tartt. Theo was just 13 when his mother was killed in a bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The search for the truth about that day — and the missing painting of a goldfinch — unravels in surprising ways.
The TV series comes to the big screen as the Crawleys and their staff prepare for a royal visit from the King and Queen of England. Naturally, there will be scandal, romance and intrigue. Written by series creator Julian Fellowes and starring the original cast — at least those who were still standing at the series’ end.
Brad Pitt is an astronaut trying to unravel the mystery of his father’s doomed mission 30 years ago in James Gray‘s “paranoid space thriller.” Between the (mostly) rave reviews this is getting and Pitt’s acclaimed turn in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” could he be a double Oscar nominee this year?
Sylvester Stallone returns as John Rambo for the fifth — and supposedly final — film in the franchise, this time facing off against a ruthless Mexican cartel. As he says in the trailer (set to “Old Town Road,”) he’s ready for a bloody showdown: “I want revenge. I want them to know that death is coming. And there’s nothing they can do to stop it.”
Renée Zellweger plays iconic singer/actress Judy Garland as she arrives in London for a series of sold-out concerts in 1968. (As Garland fans know, the singer passed away the next year at age 47.) Zellweger, who is doing her own singing, will release her first ever solo album of Judy Garland covers in conjunction with the film.
Teenager Yi (Chloe Bennet) helps a young Yeti named Everest reunite with his family — and protect him from a wealthy collector (Eddie Izzard) and an obsessed zoologist (Sarah Paulson) in this family film.
A decade after Heath Ledger won a posthumous Oscar for his brilliant Joker in “The Dark Knight,” Joaquin Phoenix takes another potentially awards-worthy run at the legendary character in a film that shows how an ordinary man became a supervillain.
Natalie Portman plays an astronaut who begins to unravel after she returns to Earth. It’s from Noah Hawley, the creator of mind-bending FX series “Legion,” and is loosely based on the real story of an astronaut who broke very bad.
Oscar Isaac is Gomez Addams and Charlize Theron is Morticia in this animated version of our favorite ooky, gooky family. Now we just want a live-action version since Isaac is such perfect casting as Gomez. Hollywood, make it happen.
Will Smith is an assassin who faces off with a younger version of himself (also Smith, who’s been digitally de-aged.) Ang Lee directs this sci-fi thriller.
Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe play 19th century lighthouse keepers trying to keep from going insane in the second film from Robert Eggers, director of the indie horror movie “The Witch.” Based on the trailer, we’re guessing sanity does not prevail.
Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) flies into a rage with the announcement of Aurora (Elle Fanning)’s engagement to Prince Phillip (Harris Dickinson, who replaces Brenton Thwaites in the role). The sequel adds Michelle Pfeiffer as cross-bow-wielding Queen Ingrith, whose possessiveness of Aurora sets up an epic battle.
10 years after the first film, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone), and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) face off against evolved zombies, fellow survivors, and occasionally each other.
Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon, and Nicholas Hoult star in this drama about the historic battle between inventors Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse over which electrical system — “alternating current” or “direct current” — would become the industry standard.
Tony-winning actress Cynthia Erivo of “Widows” and “Bad Times at the El Royale” stars as legendary ex-slave and abolitionist Harriet Tubman, who helped hundreds of slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad. Kasi Lemmons (“Eve’s Bayou”) directs.
Edward Norton directs and stars in this mystery about a man with Tourette’s syndrome trying to solve the murder of his detective mentor (Bruce Willis). It’s based on the terrific 1999 novel of the same name by Jonathan Lethem.
Original “Terminator” star Linda Hamilton is back as Sarah Connor for the first time since “T2” and we are stoked. She’s joined by Mackenzie Davis as a human-cyborg hybrid sent from the future to protect a young woman (Natalia Reyes) who’s targeted for termination. That’s not gonna happen on Sarah’s watch.
“The Haunting of Hill House” director Mike Flanagan helms this highly anticipated to Stephen King’s “The Shining,” with Ewan McGregor playing a grown-up, deeply troubled Danny Torrance. Need we say more?
Shia LaBeouf wrote the screenplay for this semi-autobiographical look at a troubled child star’s life — and plays his own father — in this Sundance favorite. Noah Jupe stars as young actor Otis, with “Manchester by the Sea” star Lucas Hedges playing Otis in his 20s. Alma Har’el (“Bombay Beach”) directs.
“Crazy Rich Asians” star Henry Golding romances “Game of Thrones”‘s Emilia Clarke in this romcom set during the holidays. Is there a tragic twist? Twitter seems to think so!
Christian Bale and Matt Damon play, respectively, a fearless race car driver and a race car designer, who are Ford’s best bet to beat racing giant Ferrari in this Oscar-baiting biopic directed by James Mangold.
The first team-up of Sir Ian McKellen and Dame Helen Mirren is a definite must-see. McKellen is a con man who finds himself falling for the wealthy woman he’s targeting (Mirren). This thriller reunites McKellen with his “Gods and Monsters” and “Mr. Holmes” director Bill Condon.
In the sequel to one of Disney’s biggest hits, we get to know more about Anna and Elsa’s mother, Queen Iduna (Evan Rachel Wood) and more about how Elsa gained her powers. Sterling K. Brown plays new character General Mattias, who was a soldier in the Arendelle army.
America’s most beloved movie star as America’s most beloved children’s TV host: Tom Hanks plays Mr. Rogers in this biopic that’s sure to be a three-hanky pic. The trailer alone had us tearing up.
Chadwick Boseman is a disgraced NYPD detective looking for redemption during a citywide manhunt in this crime thriller. Irish director Brian Kirk has helmed some of our favorite shows, including “Luther,” “Game of Thrones” and “Penny Dreadful.”
An all-star cast, including Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Toni Collette, are suspects in the murder of a wealthy patriarch. It’s up to detective Daniel Craig to solve the crime in this eagerly anticipated mystery from “Looper” and “Brick” director Rian Johnson.
We’re riveted by the explosive trailer for this modern-day Bonnie and Clyde story starring “Get Out”‘s Daniel Kaluuya and newcomer Jodie Turner-Smith. While out on their first date, they get pulled over by a cop. When the traffic stop takes a violent turn, they have to go on the run together. The film is from writer Emmy-winning writer Lena Waithe and director Melina Matsoukas.
The final “It: Chapter Two” trailer made its debut online on Thursday after being unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con the evening before. It’s another terrifying look at the return of Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard) and the havoc he wreaks in Derry, Maine. The preview brings us back into the sewers and into our nightmares.
We see plenty of the Losers. The grown-up versions of Beverly (Jessica Chastain), Bill (James McAvoy), Richie (Bill Hader), Eddie (James Ransone), Ben (Jay Ryan), and Mike (Isaiah Mustafa) remember their oath to stop “it.” Too bad Pennywise has had 27 years to prepare for his horrifying return. Watch below.
Eesh. We’re going to have to make sure we avoid all fairs, balloons, and manholes for the foreseeable future. And sleep with the light on.
“It Chapter Two” is directed by Andy Muschietti from a script by Gary Dauberman, based on the Stephen King novel “It.” The film hits theaters Sept. 6.
Gretel finally gets top billing — and alphabetical order prevails! — in the new horror thriller “Gretel and Hansel.” The reimagining of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale just cast Sophia Lillis, who is on a roll with the “It” movies and HBO’s “Sharp Objects,” plus an upcoming Nancy Drew film.
The story is described as being set a long time ago in a distant fairy tale countryside and focuses on a young girl who leads her little brother into a dark wood in desperate search of food and work, only to stumble upon a nexus of terrifying evil.
No word yet on who’ll play the little brother, or a witch/witches/nexus of evil. “Gretel and Hansel” was written by Osgood “Oz” Perkins and Rob Hayes, and will be directed by Perkins (“The Blackcoat’s Daughter”).
This seems to be moving fast; THR said Orion is already prepping for fall filming in Ireland. (Side note: Sounds gorgeous — this should be worth watching for the visuals alone.)
So far, Lillis has made a name for herself playing the younger versions of powerhouses Jessica Chastain and Amy Adams. This time, her character may be lucky to make it through adolescence.
The first “It” movie is currently the highest-grossing horror movie of all time. Lillis returns as younger Beverly Marsh in “It: Chapter Two,” opening September 6, 2019. Lillis also has the lead role of Nancy Drew in the 2019 film “Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase.”
Spoiler alert: Photos below may spoil scenes from the “It” sequel.
Beep beep, Richie! “It: Chapter Two” production is still chugging along, preparing for its September 2019 release date — two years after the release of the first movie.
Newly minted Emmy winner Bill Hader was recently seen on set in his role as the grown-up Richie Tozier. “Chapter 2” follows the adult Losers Club 27 years after the events of the first film, marking the return of Pennywise (Bill Skarsgard) the clown.
Both Bills were photographed on set sharing a little moment — it looked like it was an off-camera moment, maybe just two guys goofing around between shots.
SPOILER ALERT. One photo below may reveal an “It” sequel plot point.
“It: Chapter Two” is now filming in Port Hope, a town in Ontario, Canada, standing in for Derry, Maine.
The first “It” movie also filmed there in the summer of 2016. This time, the film is going by the code name “Largo,” but it’s not hard to tell that Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, and company are really filming the horror sequel to “It.”
Northumberland News in Port Hope shared several set photos, plus a shot of six of the seven Losers Club members walking down the street:
The group photo in that tweet shows six of the adult Losers: Jessica Chastain as Beverly Marsh, James McAvoy as Bill Denbrough, Bill Hader as Richie Tozier, James Ransone as Eddie Kaspbrak, Jay Ryan as Ben Hanscom, and Isaiah Mustafa as Mike Hanlon.
As Comicbook.com noted, the one Loser not present is Andy Bean‘s Stanley Uris. Read into that what you will, Stephen King fans.
“It :Chapter 2” is scheduled for release in theaters on September 6, 2019.
“It” is almost ready to welcome you back to Derry for “Chapter 2.”
By the way, if you call the number in the keychain above, from “It” director Andy Muschietti‘s Instagram, it gives you an incorrect number message. At least it did for us. Maybe it’ll direct you straight to Pennywise, inviting you to come down and float with him.
At any rate, “It: Chapter 2” shared some footage yesterday at San Diego Comic-Con, but it wasn’t too exciting. And it wasn’t released to the public. Red balloon = popped.
It was mostly behind-the-scenes shots from early filming with the cast — including James McAvoy as adult Bill, Jessica Chastain as Beverly, Bill Hader as Richie, Isaiah Mustafa as Mike, Jay Ryan as Ben, James Ransone as Eddie, and Andy Bean as Stanley.
According to IGN, the footage did include a scene with the older Losers Club members reuniting at a restaurant. Bill Hader’s Richie asks the group what they’d like to talk about, knowing full well what they’ll be talking about.
Here’s a more detailed description from Den of Geek with references to Stephen King’s novel:
“In a sequence that is sure to raise an eyebrow of anyone who’s read Stephen King’s magnum opus in prose form (or saw the dippy 1990 miniseries), we are able to quickly glean the adult cast of It: Chapter Two has gathered in a sequence set in a Chinese restaurant. It is the moment where the Losers Club is all reunited for the first time since their summer pact in 1989, now adults who can barely recall childhood or each other.
James McAvoy stands tall as Bill Denbrough, sporting a full luscious mane of hair for those wondering if McAvoy was shaving his head again (Bill goes bald in the book). He is staring incredulously at all his childhood friends gathered in one place, including Chastain as an adult Beverly, and most deliciously Bill Hader as adult Richie.
Banging a tacky ceremonial gong behind him (it is set in suburban Maine), Hader’s Richie shouts out, “What’s up losers?! So what do y’all want to talk about?” At least the way it is edited, James Ransone’s adult Eddie Kaspbrak mutters “holy sh*t” in disbelief. The sequence is part of a sizzle reel that also includes Chastain’s adult Bev being phased by something and checking her smartphone, in a departure from the 1985-set novel.”
The “It” sequel picks up 27 years after the first movie, but also includes the younger stars.
Jessica Chastain already shared a face-morphing photo with young Beverly Marsh star Sophia Lillis, and she shared a new piece of fan art with younger Beverly passing the red balloon to her older self:
Lovely. Yes, Sophia Lillis is the spitting image of a young Amy Adams, but HBO is already going down that road right now with “Sharp Objects.” You can’t typecast Sophia Lillis as Young Amy Adams in Everything.
Here’s a look at the “It: Chapter 2” table read from earlier this month:
The Losers Club is now officially back in session, in a new photo featuring the main adult cast of “It: Chapter 2.”
The official “It” Twitter account debuted the behind the scenes snap on Monday, featuring the ensemble sitting around a table, Last Supper-style, reading through the sequel’s script.
— IT: Welcome to Derry 🎈🎈 (@ITMovieOfficial) July 2, 2018
Pictured in the photo are Jessica Chastain (playing Beverly Marsh), James McAvoy (Bill Denbrough), Isaiah Mustafa (Mike Hanlon),Jay Ryan (Ben Hanscom), James Ransone (Eddie Kaspbrak),Bill Hader (Richie Tozier), and Andy Bean (Stanley Uris). Aside from those Losers, other recent additions to the cast include Teach Grant (playing Henry Bowers), Xavier Dolan (Adrian Mellon), Will Beinbrink (Tom Rogan), and Jess Weixler (Bill’s wife, Audra).
Set 30 years after the first film, “Chapter 2” brings our heroes back to Derry, Maine to once again fight off the evil Pennywise (Bill Skarsgaard), who’s resurfaced after a long absence. “It” director (and new Academy member) Andres Muschietti is returning, as are the original kid cast in flashbacks.
Based on what we’ve seen so far, it seems safe to say that we’ll be getting plenty of updates from the cast and crew throughout the film’s production. Stay tuned for more behind the scenes scoop as it becomes available.
“It: Chapter 2” is due in theaters on September 6, 2019.
