![]() Mike's fascination with the history of Derry is informed not only by his experiences with Pennywise, but also by his connection to his father. However, the choice to give the history plot to Ben meant that IT: Chapter Two needed to change some of the motivation behind Mike's decision to remain in Derry. Related: IT: One Book Character The Movies Utterly Wasted So, rather than invent new stories for both characters, giving the history connection to Ben was a pragmatic choice for the film. Ben is also missing a key piece of his story from the novel - his skill for architecture is discovered when the Losers build a dam in the Barrens. Mike learns much of what he knows from his father, and in doing away with that relationship, the film removes his hypothetical access to that information, leaving Ben as the next in line to trace Pennywise’s many appearances throughout the town’s history. It’s a logical enough shift, given Ben’s love of the library in the novel, but it does take away a big part of Mike’s story. Mike spends his adulthood working on his own history of Derry in the novel, but in IT: Chapter One, it is Ben Hanscom who does research for the gang. Mike’s father is a very involved parent, and teaches Mike a great deal about Derry’s history, which informs Mike's life as an adult quite significantly. While it would not have served the film as well as it does the novel, Mike’s relationship with his father is quite beautiful, marked by a tenderness most of the other Losers don’t get at home. Mike’s own relationship to racism isn’t explored as fully as it is in the novel, even though his grandfather’s advice can certainly be taken in that context. ![]() The issue of racism is addressed in the film, but mostly as it exists as a form of hatred in Derry. ![]() This comes out especially when his father teaches him about what he must face as a young black man in a small, mostly white town. Though Mike still works on the family farm, his father is much gentler in terms of the lessons he teaches to Mike. In the novel, however, Mike has a very close and loving relationship with his parents, especially his father. It’s effective, and lends itself well to the idea that adults ( especially those in Derry) are cold and often completely absent when children need them. Furthermore, Mike’s grandfather uses the sheep as a metaphor, explaining the dangers of the world to Mike in a somewhat harsh way. This is a key motif throughout the film, chiefly because the bolt gun they use on the farm becomes Mike’s primary weapon when facing off with Pennywise. The two work together on the family farm, where Mike is troubled by the routine execution of sheep. Though he grows up with two parents in the novel, Mike is raised by his grandfather in Muschietti’s films. Let’s take a look at what IT: Chapter One changed about Mike Hanlon. It is no surprise that the IT films shave down on some character’s development and backstory not everything can make it into the film. In the novel, Mike is definitely consumed by his work, but his dedication comes from a different place, connected to fonder memories. This decision, however, is strongly linked to factors from his backstory that are changed for the film, and the influence of these changes can be seen in It: Chapter Two, where Mike’s dedication to stopping Pennywise is re-framed more as an obsession. One hallmark of Mike’s character is his choice, in adulthood, to remain in Derry, waiting for It to return, vowing to call the Losers back home to honor the promise they made as children. Related: IT: Every Character Who Appears in Another Stephen King Story As is the case with most adaptations, the skeletal plot remains, but many details of Mike’s life are rearranged and altered, mostly in an effort to distill Stephen King's massive work into a two hour film. ![]() But there are some key differences between IT the film and the original novel, especially regarding Mike's backstory. When the Losers help protect him, Mike joins the fold, sharing his experiences with his new friends and joining them in the fight against Pennywise. Mike Hanlon is a later addition to the Losers Club, befriending the group after running into them in their favorite hangout, The Barrens, while being chased by racist bullies.
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