Fans of Stephen King’s popular novel It (1986) will no doubt be excited to know that It: Welcome to Derry, a series dealing with the iconic clown Pennywise, will hit screens in 2025. The nine-episode horror series will be a prequel to the films It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019), both directed by Andy Muschietti.
The series will be available to stream on HBO. The production of It: Welcome to Derry has created a buzz among fans of the movies since 2022 when media outlets reported that Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs were planning to develop a prequel series to the It movies.
Bill Skarsgård, who plays It/Pennywise in the films, will reprise his role in the series.
It: Welcome to Derry: Cast and crew
The series has been developed by Andy and Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs. Warner Bros. Television and Double Dream are producing the show, while it's being executive produced by the Muschiettis, Fuchs, Brad Caleb Kane, Shelley Meals, Roy Lee, Dan Lin and Bill Skarsgård.
Skarsgård will return as Pennywise in the series. The other cast members include:
- Jovan Adepo
- Chris Chalk
- Taylour Paige
- James Remar
- Stephen Rider
- Madeleine Stowe
- Alixandra Fuchs
- Kimberly Guerrero
- Dorian Grey
- Thomas Mitchell
- BJ Harrison
- Peter Outerbridge
- Shane Marriott
- Chad Rook
- Joshua Odjick
- Morningstar Angeline
- Rudy Mancuso
It: Welcome to Derry: Potential plot
It is the story of how a diabolical clown named Pennywise comes to torment Derry, Maine, every 27 years. He feeds on fear and takes particular delight in torturing children. Stephen King himself never wrote a prequel to It. However, the book and the It movies contain some suggestions as to how the clown might have originated.
As per an article published by Variety on March 29, 2022, the show will explore the origin story of one of literature and cinema’s most iconic horror characters, Pennywise. The report claims that the series would be set in the 1960s, leading up to the time covered by the 2017 movie.
Deadline published a report on February 23, 2023 which carries the following statement from Stephen King regarding the upcoming prequel series:
“I’m excited that the story of Derry, Maine’s most haunted city, is continuing, and I’m glad Andy Muschietti is going to be overseeing the frightening festivities, along with a brain trust including his talented sister, Barbara. Red balloons all around!”
Thus, the It universe will expand in It: Welcome to Derry.
It: Welcome to Derry: Release date and streaming options
News of the series’ production being greenlit emerged in in March 2022 with media outlets like Variety reporting that Andy Muschietti and Bill Skarsgård would be involved in the prequel. The Peterborough Examiner reported on July 13, 2023, that filming for the series was paused due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
As per a report published by ComingSoon on August 2, 2024, principal photography ended in August, 2024. As of yet, no release date for It: Welcome to Derry has been announced, but it's expected to be released in 2025.
HBO will air the nine episodes of the show. Although no teaser or trailer of it is yet available, snippets of the show can be seen in a YouTube video posted by Max, titled The One to Watch in 2024. Some scenes from It: Welcome to Derry can be seen in the “Coming in 2025” section of the clip.
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