Australian parents say advertising for the movie It Chapter Two should be prohibited from roadside billboards because posters of Pennywise are terrifying their children.
It Chapter Two, which premieres in Australian cinemas today, is rated MA15+ due to its horror scenes and other thematic elements, Queensland 9 News reported. Parents in Brisbane, Australia, have recently filed complaints to Ad Standards, urging that advertising for MA15+ films should be banned or restricted in areas that are frequented by kids, IndieWire noted.
Billboards promoting a new horror movie have been popping up around Brisbane, apparently frightening the locals. What do you think of the IT Chapter Two signs? #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/cRMvRr7E9x
— 7NEWS Brisbane (@7NewsBrisbane) August 30, 2019
“It just totally freaks them out,” Kellie, a mother based in Brisbane, told Queensland 9 News.
Kellie’s daughter, Piper, said she gets nightmares from the Pennywise posters, which show the creepy clown’s evil smile.
“I get really scared because it’s hard to go to bed when you have a scary picture in your mind. Before I go to bed, I have to check the whole room,” Piper explained. “And when I finally go to bed I will wake up after a nightmare.”
Jane Swan, another concerned parent who complained to Ad Standards, said the poster “terrifies” her child.
“Some people do enjoy going to horror movies and that’s fine and that’s their choice, and I understand that, but we’re not choosing to see this poster,” she said.
Swan was told that, “Ad Standards generally has no jurisdiction over the placement or timing of advertisements, except when considering the use of language or sex, sexuality, or nudity in advertising.”
Ad Standards has not provided additional comment on the Pennywise posters.
It Chapter Two, which stars Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, and Isaiah Mustafa, hits theaters in the U.S. on September 6.
More on Geek.com:
- ‘It Chapter Two’ Trailer: Pennywise Returns to Haunt the Losers’ Club
- ‘Pennywise: The Story of IT’ Explores Stephen King’s Chilling Clown Tale
- Best (And Worst) Movies of Summer 2019
