And the first trailer for the movie adaptation of Stephen King's classic horror novel It suggests there are nightmares ahead.

Bill Skarsgard??? (Allegiance, Anna Karenina) plays the demonic clown Pennywise, who is first glimpsed when a boy chases a paper boat into a drain during a storm.

The story takes place in the town of Derry, Maine, where children are disappearing in alarming numbers.

Chalk that up to Pennywise, the iconic clown with signature red balloon.

The cast of terrorised children includes Finn Wolfhard??? from Stranger Things and Jaeden Lieberher??? from Midnight Special.

The new movie, based on King's 1986 novel, follows a 1990 mini-series that had Tim Curry as the menacing clown.

Since Warner Bros announced it was making the movie five years ago, it has had a complicated path to the screen. Both Guillermo del Toro and Cary Fukunaga??? have been linked as directors at different stages and Will Poulter from The Revenant was formerly down to play Pennywise.

The role has been taken over by Skarsgard, who comes from a Swedish family of actors that includes father Stellan??? and brother Alexander.

The director is now Andy Muschietti???, who is best known for the 2013 horror film Mama, with Fukunaga retaining a writing credit.

King's many movie adaptations include The Shining, Pet Sematary, Carrie, Misery, The Shawshank Redemption, Stand By Me and The Green Mile. Also out this year is an adaptation of his eight-novel series The Dark Tower, starring Idris Elba??? and Matthew McConaughey???.

It is expected to open here in September.