Late last month, production finally got under way on New Line's long-awaited adaptation of Stephen King's iconic novel IT, with director Andy Muschietti showcasing a hand-drawn illustration of the legendary villain, Pennywise the clown. The first photos from the set surfaced earlier this week, but we didn't get to see any of the cast members in these images. Today we have our first official look at Pennywise, who will be played by Bill Skarsgard.

For quite some time, it looked like IT may not be happening, with the production hitting a number of stumbling blocks, including the departure of director Cary Fukunaga, who had been attached for many years. He was eventually replaced by Andy Muschietti, with Bill Skarsgard coming aboard in early June. Entertainment Weekly debuted this first-look photo of Pennywise, and they also talked to the actor who is portraying him. Here's what Bill Skarsgard had to say about this "extreme character."

"It's such an extreme character. Inhumane. It's beyond even a sociopath, because he's not even human. He's not even a clown. I'm playing just one of the beings It creates."

Stephen King's novel was previously adapted into a 1990 miniseries of the same name, where Tim Curry played Pennywise. This adaptation will actually be split into two movies, with the first centering on a group of children known as The Losers Club, who must fight off this evil spirit known as IT. The second movie will bring these characters back together as adults, as they must stop IT once and for all. While there isn't much else we know about the story at this point, Bill Skarsgard teased that this movie will offer a fresh take on the original novel.

"It's important that we do something fresh and original for this one. It's purposely not going toward that weird, greasy look. It truly enjoys the shape of the clown Pennywise, and enjoys the game and the hunt. What's funny to this evil entity might not be funny to everyone else. But he thinks it's funny."

Bill Skarsgard leads a cast that also includes Jaden Lieberher, Finn Wolfhard, Jack Dylan Grazer, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs and Jeremy Ray Taylor as members of the Losers Club, with Owen Teague playing Billy, a psychotic bully who torments this group. New Line has set a September 8, 2017 release date for IT, which currently doesn't have any direct competition, but that will surely change. While we wait for more set photos as production continues, take a look at Pennywise below from IT.