Given Curry’s proven talent for embodying diverse roles—from the flamboyant Dr. Frank-N-Furter in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” to the sinister Bill Sikes in “Oliver Twist,” and the dark entity in “Legend”—his success as Pennywise seemed almost inevitable. However, the question arises: would “It” have had the same impact if Curry hadn’t taken on the role?

Tommy Lee Wallace revealed to THR that several other actors were considered for the iconic role of Pennywise, each potentially offering a unique take on the character. Let’s explore the other contenders who nearly became the infamous clown.

One notable actor who was a strong candidate for the role of Pennywise was Roddy McDowall. Though not typically cast in villainous parts, the late London-born actor had previously collaborated with Tommy Lee Wallace on “Fright Night Part 2,” the sequel to a popular ’80s vampire film, reprising his role as Peter Vincent.

One of the actors who had a good chance of becoming Pennywise in “It” before Tim Curry was Roddy McDowall. The late London-born actor wasn’t renowned for villainous roles, but he had previously worked with “It” director Tommy Lee Wallace on “Fright Night Part 2,” the sequel to one of the best ’80s vampire movies. In it, McDowall reprised the role of Peter Vincent from the first movie.

In an interview with The Movie Waffler, Wallace spoke about the experience of working with McDowall. “Roddy was the consummate pro,” Wallace said. “Although he was Hollywood royalty, he never lorded it over anyone, or made you feel like he was above this seemingly lowly sequel. He was always well-prepared and humble, he took his part seriously, and was assertive in a very constructive way, which invariably resulted in a better scene, or a better line reading. He had a great sense of humor.”

While most fans may not see McDowall as Pennywise, the actor proved he could disappear into roles as Cornelius in 1968’s “Planet of the Apes.” His Pennywise would have certainly been a different version than Curry’s, but it might have pleasantly surprised viewers too.

Shock rocker Alice Cooper used the horror genre as a vessel for his music. Applying a theatrical element to his shows, appearance, and music videos, as well as writing lyrics that leaned more to the dark side, Cooper turned himself into a horror icon. He also dipped his toes into the film industry, appearing in motion pictures such as John Carpenter’s “Prince of Darkness” and Rachel Talalay’s “Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare.”

Tommy Lee Wallace disclosed that Cooper was also considered for the part of Pennywise in “It.” According to Cooper, he was actually offered the role and turned it down. “I remember being approached to play the part of Pennywise in the original ‘It’ film and I passed,” Cooper told Experience Magazine. “I definitely regret that.”

While Cooper is an indisputable horror icon, it’s difficult to imagine him being a better Pennywise than Curry, or any of the other actors mentioned here. Plus, Cooper has always been better when he appears as himself in movies, such as when he joined the cast of “Wayne’s World.”

When it comes to despicable villains, Malcolm McDowell carved a niche all for himself. After all, he personified pure evil as Alex DeLarge in Stanley Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange,” and has since never met a baddie he couldn’t play. Resultantly, it isn’t tough to imagine McDowell channeling that sinister energy to play the embodiment of malevolence that is Pennywise.

As director Tommy Lee Wallace told Yahoo, McDowell was one of the names in contention for the main role in “It” while other filmmakers were attached to the project. But for Wallace, Tim Curry was the logical choice. “Malcom would’ve called on his inner Droog, and the result would’ve been menacing and colorful, no doubt,” Wallace said. “Tim Curry was always the name for me; honestly, it’s hard to think seriously of anyone else in the role, he is and was that good.”

McDowell’s version of Pennywise might have been closer to Bill Skarsgård’s than Curry’s. Curry could disarm children before dialing up the evil once their guard dropped, while McDowell’s Pennywise would have been eerie from the get-go.