Okay, let’s do the math on one of pop culture’s most terrifying questions. Not “what’s under Pennywise’s bed,” but this: How old is the It film rating in 2026? Grab your red balloon—we’re about to make you feel ancient!
The 2017 movie turns nine in 2026
That’s right, the first chapter of Andy Muschietti’s blockbuster, It (2017), was rated R in the US. By the time 2026 rolls around, that rating will be nine years old.
A nine-year-old rating. That’s old enough to have its own bike gang—and probably a better jumpscare sense than most adults.
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If It (2017) were a kid, it would be in third grade now, arguing about which lunch table has the best slime. And we still aren’t sure if that clown is under the bed or just on Netflix.
Wait, what about the 1990 miniseries?
Oh, the original TV version! That one was rated TV-14, which in 2026 will be a whopping 36 years old. That’s older than most of its fans’ parents.
Think about it: a 36-year-old rating is old enough to run for president. (Imagine Pennywise at a debate: “I propose eternal childhood!”) That rating has seen Friends come and go, and it still gives us nightmares about spider-lady-legs.
So, by 2026, the 1990 rating is basically a millennial—still trying to find a working VCR.
Age ratings for films | PPTX
But what about It Chapter Two (2019)?
That one hits seven in 2026. A seven-year-old rating that’s already had its midlife crisis in 2023.
Honestly, seven is a weird age for a rating. Old enough to know not to talk to strangers, young enough to think a clown offering a balloon is a great idea. That rating has probably watched its own “Losers’ Club” reunion on streaming a dozen times.
By 2026, Chapter Two’s rating will be almost old enough to babysit the 2017 rating. Let that sink in.
Why does this matter? (Besides making your joints creak)
Because movie ratings age like fine milk—they get sour and a little scary. The It films have this weird power: every time we check their age, we realize we’ve aged with them.
Movie Content Ratings Guide – Motion picture content rating system – FYCB
In 2026, the 2017 rating will be old enough to have its own car (good luck with that). The 1990 rating will be old enough to have grandkids who text about “the new It movie.” And the ratings themselves? They’re just numbers. But they remind us that fear doesn’t have a birthday.
Still, here’s the best part: you outgrow the rating. In 2026, that R-rated 2017 film will feel like a friendly nostalgia trip—not a nightmare. Because you’ve lived through worse things (like 2020).
The real horror: how fast time floats down here
Let’s do a quick summary because my head is spinning from all this math. In 2026, the It (2017) rating is 9 years old. The It (1990) rating is 36 years old. And Chapter Two (2019) is 7 years old.
That means the 2017 rating is the same age as a kid who just learned to ride a bike without training wheels. Scary, right? Especially when that bike goes past a storm drain.
Rated R Movies and The Rating System
But here’s the joke: the rating for the original It miniseries (TV-14) is now old enough to have seen the 2017 film in theaters as an adult. Which means Tim Curry’s Pennywise is now a boomer clown. (Sorry, Tim. Still the best laugh-scares.)
What about the 2026 audience?
If you were a kid who sneaked into It (2017) when you were 12, by 2026 you’ll be 21. Congrats! You can now legally buy the movie and a bottle of wine to go with it.
And if you were a parent who covered your eyes in 2017, by 2026 your kid is old enough to explain the plot to you. “No, Mom, the clown doesn’t live in the sewer—he lives in your childhood trauma.” Thanks, kid.
Time really does float. And it’s got a really good sense of ironic humor.
Target audience for short film
The uplifting conclusion (yes, after all that clown talk)
Look, here’s the truth: movie ratings are just stamps on a ticket. They don’t control your fear or your joy. In 2026, when you see that It rating is only nine years old, you might feel a twinge of “oh, I’m getting older.”
But think about this: you are still here. You survived your own scary movie—the one called Life—and you’re still laughing, still scrolling, still reading silly math about clowns.
The rating ages, but you don’t have to. You get to stay young at heart. So go ahead: watch It (2017) in 2026. See if Pennywise still gets you. I bet he’ll look more like a grumpy uncle than a monster.
And remember: you are the one who makes the party float. Not the rating. Not the age. You. So let’s dance in the sewers, share a balloon, and laugh at how fast the years go—because the only thing scarier than a clown is forgetting to have fun.
Now go watch a movie, you beautiful, timeless Loser.