How 7 ‘losers’ forged a bond for ‘It Chapter Two’

It’s a weekday morning in Los Angeles and three “losers” — Bill Hader, James Ransone and Andy Bean —are sitting around a bright juice shop with a view of the ocean discussing babies, surf lessons and trips to Hawaii over iced coffees and eggs. That goodwill played a role in recruiting what he describes as his “dream cast” to play the grown up losers for “Chapter Two.” Chastain, who’d worked with Muschietti on “Mama,” was the first to board, and she put the word out to her frequent co-star McAvoy on the set of “Dark Phoenix.” “I loved the book as a kid and I really enjoyed the movie as well,” McAvoy said. Bean remembered it being a “Dracula-like glass,” while Ransone, who everyone calls PJ, offered that it was more like “‘Beauty and the Beast’ with the rose inside.’ “Andy was like, you must drink this!” Hader said, imitating Muschietti’s Argentine accent. “That’s like thinking while you’re driving, ‘Is my car going to fall apart?’” Hader said.