It’s a big week for movie trailers with studios showing theater exhibitors what they’ve got at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. But Warner Brothers has something of a palette cleanser among all of the blockbuster superhero previews, ready to creep us all out with a look at the upcoming adaptation of Stephen King’s It.

King’s novel was once adapted into a TV miniseries for ABC in 1990. And Tim Curry provided a memorably creepy portrayal of Pennywise the Clown in that version. But the 2017 incarnation of the horrific clown who haunts the children of Derry, Maine looks even creepier. Played by Bill Skarsgard (Hemlock Grove), Pennywise now looks more evil and subtly monstrous, with features and clothing that appear to be slightly decaying, and a physique that doesn’t quite seem normal.

Those already unsettled or outright freaked out by clowns will probably have a new nightmare, thanks to Skarsgard and the new film directed by Andrés Muschietti (Mama) that looks far darker, creepier and scarier than what was made for TV 27 years ago. Take a look at the first teaser trailer… if you can handle it.

If you’re not familiar with the story, It follows seven children in a small town who are drawn together by their unhappy lives and bullying, and form a group called the “Losers Club.” The kids are also haunted by a sinister entity who takes the form of a clown (among other things). Not knowing what else to call the clown, whom they believe to be responsible for several children being murdered in Derry, they refer to Pennywise as “It.”

King’s 1,000-page novel takes the story further, following the kids as they grow into adults. Nearly 30 years after first encountering Pennywise, he (it?) returns and forces the group to go back to Derry and confront their fears. The TV adaptation covered that part of the story, which is why it was a longer miniseries. But this film will apparently only follow the earlier stages of the novel, when the Losers Club were kids. If there’s a sequel, that will presumably depict the second part of the story when the kids are grown up.

It opens in theaters on Sept. 8, which should give you plenty of time to get a good look at Pennywise and plan your Halloween costume. And just in case you’re not unsettled enough, here’s a screen cap of the quick frame you may have missed by blinking at the end of the trailer. You’re welcome.

About Ian Casselberry

Ian is a writer, editor, and podcaster. You can find his work at Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He's written for Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, MLive, Bleacher Report, and SB Nation.