The main idea focused on incorporating visual and experiential elements of the film into a singular experience for fans to interact with. The film is set in the fictional town of Derry, and The House on Neibolt Street plays an important role in the story. We recommended The Neibolt House become the centerpiece of the brand activation, a full two-story experience where visitors would interact with terrifying scenes from the film. The experience would begin well before anyone entered the house, with a fully-dressed set built within a parking lot in the heart of Hollywood, theme music playing throughout and IT character actors engaging with passersby. The actual House experience was a guided tour led by Georgie, a pivotal character in the film. Georgie, clad in his yellow raincoat holding an ominous red balloon, would take visitors through the house where they’d encounter re-creations of scenes from the film.

We invited the press and selected social media influencers to opening night. They kicked off our digital push by posting about their experience This in turn created a huge demand from people wanting to visit. With online reservations full and up to a five-hour line along Hollywood Blvd, fans flocked to take the tour. Along the way they encountered scares taken straight out of the movie, but were treated to only a short interaction with each part of the house before being moved on by their guide, Georgie. They ended in the Derry sewer system where they encountered IT’s antagonist – Pennywise, a creature who represents our worst fears - before being shown an escape route back out to safety. These scares were the breadcrumbs that left visitors wanting more, driving them to see the film to find out what really happens at The House on Neibolt St.

Demand for entry to the house was off the charts. During its 29-day run, over 150,000 people requested entry to the house, and over 38,000 were able to complete the experience. There were 29,488 social media posts across Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and beyond. The experience was covered by over 70 press outlets & influencers nationwide. Standby wait times exceeded six hours for fans to enter, with a line as long as the Seattle Space Needle wrapping around Hollywood Blvd. The Neibolt House helped to boost IT to an enormous $123MM opening – far exceeding studio expectations and shattering records for the largest Fall & September opening weekends ever. With a $327MM total domestic run, IT became Warner Bros highest grossing horror film ever.