The Sci-Fi Channel is working on a remake of the hit miniseries It. (I can barely type this without instinctively checking the floorboards and storm drains.)

Yes, that It. The one based on Stephen King’s doorstopper of a horror novel and burned into the memories of any ’90s kid with cable and an overactive imagination. The original 1990 miniseries starred Tim Curry as the nightmare-inducing clown and ruined clowns for an entire generation. It also introduced many of us to the idea that evil can hide in storm drains, balloons and childhood trauma.

The official logline hasn’t changed much over the years: A group of kids in a sleepy 1960s Maine town take on a shape-shifting entity that feeds on fear, mostly theirs. It’s a story about growing up, facing the monsters inside (and out), and in this case, the monsters wearing grease paint and giggling while they rip your arm off.

Let me tell you: I was nine when I saw It for the first time. I packed my Keroppi backpack with essentials, grabbed my siblings, and considered going off the grid. Storm drains became instant no-zones. Red balloons? Triggering. And don’t even talk to me about clowns—I was out. My parents thought it was “cute.” I was preparing for war.

Fast forward to adulthood and only two horror icons still crawl under my skin: Freddy Krueger and Pennywise the Dancing Clown.

Now, the idea of remaking It for the Sci-Fi Channel is… ambitious, to say the least. The original had its flaws—yes, it was a TV movie, and no, the effects didn’t aged well—but it had heart and a killer cast. Jonathan Brandis, John Ritter, Tim Curry, Annette O’Toole. Legends, all of ’em! Their performances brought an eerie warmth and genuine dread that still hold up, even if the spider at the end absolutely does not.

So here’s the thing: Remakes aren’t inherently evil. But when you’re dealing with material as iconic (and deeply scarring) as It, the bar is sky-high.

If Sci-Fi wants to tackle this, they better come prepared, with a fresh angle and a willingness to go weird. Because this isn’t just any horror story. For some of us, it was the first horror story. And some of us are still not over it. (pun absolutely intended)