Stephen King's It receives complaint from Burger King Russia over similarity to McDonald's clown

Fast food chain Burger King’s Russian division has lodged an official government complaint to the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service (FAS) against Stephen King’s R-rated horror film It, on the grounds that the clown Pennywise resembles Ronald McDonald — the mammoth fast-food chain that is considered the primary rival of Burger King. “We can’t be concerned with the content of the film because the writer and director have their own creative understanding of any character,” said Andrey Kashevarov, deputy head of the FAS, according to a report by  The Washington Post. The FAS added that they will look into the complaint further and conclude whether It contains any product placement or advertising that can lend support to Burger King’s claims. It is being (humourously) speculated that the misunderstanding could have cropped up due to the Youtube video titled It – McDonald’s Edition, which features Ronald McDonald in all his glory in place of It’s Pennywise.

It has made all sorts of box-office records since its release on 8 September, and is definitely a movie that will be remembered for a long time to come. King’s movie released in Russia on 7 September and has grossed approximately £10.4 million in the country. It is currently reportedly playing in a 100 Russian cinema theaters. The sequel to _It_ was recently announced and is expected to release on 6 September, 2019.