In the summer of 1917, the Butterworth children—Robert [Freddie Highmore], Cyril [Jonathan Bailey], Jane [Poppy Rogers], Anthea [Jessica Claridge] and the Lamb [Alec Muggleton]—whose father [Alex Jennings] has gone to fight in World War I, are evacuated from London to stay with their eccentric Uncle Albert [Kenneth Branagh], his housekeeper Martha [Zoë Wanamaker], and the stern Horace [Alexander Pownall]. The house is full of oddities, and the children quickly discover a locked door in the forbidden greenhouse. When they pry it open, a secret passage leads them to the beach that surrounds the house, where a large shelled creature awaits. It reveals itself to be a sandy, magical being—the sand fairy, simply calling itself “It.”
From the moment It appears, the children are torn between wonder and suspicion, especially Cyril, who questions whether trusting this strange creature is wise. Yet It proves capable of granting wishes, so the kids test its power by wishing that all household chores would be done by magic. The result is instant and chaotic: dozens of exact copies of the children flood the house, merrily performing chores but also wrecking the place in their exuberant, uncontrolled attempt to complete every task on the list. The spectacle ends in a glittering cascade of golden dust as the copies vanish at sunset, leaving the real children to face the mess and the consequences of their wishes.
As they confront the fallout, It explains a core rule: at sunset, all wishes fade away. The children must grapple with the lesson that wishes bring both benefits and trouble, and that ownership of responsibility matters more than a quick fix. With practical needs pressing, they decide they need money to repair the damage, so they once again turn to It for help. They wish for gold, hoping to buy the things they need to mend their broken home. The gold seems to unlock doors to town life, yet it proves unusable in ordinary transactions—shopkeepers refuse it as counterfeit—until a curious car purchase emerges from their fortune. A test drive ends in catastrophe, the vehicle crashing and causing a scene that draws in Mr. Peasemarsh, the irate shopkeeper [John Sessions]. He rails against the supposed theft, and the authorities, along with their aunt, arrive. In a flash, the gold vanishes just before he can reveal it, and the officers, doubting his tale, take him away as a madman.
Meanwhile, Horace grows increasingly suspicious of the children’ secrecy and traps them in a locked room to force confession. Robert, who was away when the trap was sprung, seeks out It for help and asks for wings so the siblings can reach their father in France. The other children burst from their confinement using their new wings, and Horace, realizing they are missing, finally opens the door to discover the escape. The siblings take to the skies, gliding over the coastline, but danger lurks as German zeppelins menace their flight. With sunset nearing, the wings begin to fail, and the children fear a fall into the sea. It intervenes, appearing in the clouds and guiding them back to the shore with a helpful gust.
Back on the beach, their mother returns to find out that their father has gone missing as well. That night, Robert speaks with It and falls asleep beside the sand fairy on the shore. Horace, still curious and suspicious, traps It’s friend and spirit in his basement, intending to dissect It to uncover the mechanics of its magic. The next morning, Robert confronts Horace but hesitates to take decisive action, so the two craft a plan that shifts the power dynamic. Horace’s fossilized dinosaur egg is given a chance to hatch when he wishes for something instead, and the resulting creature looms over them, threatening to devour the children. It makes the dinosaur vanish, leaving Horace frightened and fainting while Robert helps him to safety. The siblings, meanwhile, focus on bringing their father home, wishing for his return. Their father appears briefly on the beach, but his presence again vanishes with the arrival of sunset, leaving the children devastated and aching for their dad.
In the wake of these ordeals, the family begins to rebuild trust. Horace, surprised by the hidden truth behind It, starts to accept the connection between the children and the mysterious creature. The children choose to share the secret of It among themselves, strengthening their bond and understanding that they must work together rather than rely on magical shortcuts. On It’s birthday, they offer wishes for Its future and prepare to return to their lives. A breakdown in their car forces them to stay at the house a while longer, and a game of hide-and-seek spirals into a poignant moment when their father reappears during the game. The joyous revelation confirms that he is indeed back, but his presence is brief, as sunset soon arrives and he vanishes again. The family, now united, finds solace in each other and the decision to guard It’s existence as a shared secret.
The story closes with a sense of lasting friendship and a hint of possibility: if It ever returns, a sequel titled “It and Five Children” is imagined in a playful post-credits moment. The Butterworths, having endured danger, doubt, and wonder, prepare to move forward together, carrying the lessons of power, responsibility and the true meaning of family. The tale blends whimsy with the gravity of a world at war, offering a timeless message about resilience, loyalty, and the magic that hides in unexpected places.
