One of the most highly-anticipated movies of 2019, IT Chapter Two, finally makes its way to theaters this weekend. It was essentially a given that the sequel would bring in big bucks at the box office, but estimates ahead of the movie's debut now put it in record-breaking territory. This time around, Pennywise and The Losers Club are set to make a big, bloody splash overseas, which could see a new worldwide record on the books come Monday morning.

According to a new report, IT Chapter Two is expected to launch with a global box office total of around $200 million. That will include between $90 and $100 million domestically, to go with $100 to $110 from international markets. The current worldwide opening record for a movie released in September was set by the first IT in 2017, which brought in a truly massive $189.7 million on its first frame. But this time around, the split looks to be weighted more heavily oversees, which will differ strongly from the first entry in this sprawling adaptation of Stephen King's beloved horror novel.

IT arrived with a record-shattering $123.4 million domestic haul in 2017. Even the most bullish expectations for the sequel don't have it matching that number. That should by no means be perceived as a failure, as the first movie dramatically overperformed. It also needs to be taken into account that the sequel clocks in at a blistering 2 hours and 49 minutes, whereas the first entry was 2 hours and 15 minutes. That's a whole lot more child-eating clown action for audiences to soak in, for better or for worse.

For Warner Bros., this is a win/win situation. In all likelihood, IT Chapter Two will perform better internationally than the first movie did. IT earned 46.8 percent of its total box office dollars domestically, which is rare for a blockbuster in the modern age. For example's sake, Annabelle Comes Home earned 32.6 percent of its total $223.4 million global haul domestically. All of this to say, if the sequel can boost its profile worldwide, even if it doesn't match the first movie in the U.S., it could still ultimately earn more by the end of its run with increased foreign box office.

Andy Muschietti returns to the director's chair for the sequel, working from a script by returning writer Gary Dauberman. At present, IT Chapter Two holds a 71 percent approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, which falls short of IT by a pretty wide margin. How that affects the box office take in the weeks to come remains to be seen, but if the audience responds well, the mixed critical response may not matter much at all in the long run. Either way, this is poised to be one of the biggest hits of the fall season, if not the entire year. This news comes to us via Deadline.