HBO is set to release a new series called IT: Welcome to Derry, which will be a prequel to the IT movies from 2017 and 2019. The series is planned to last for three seasons and will focus on key events in Derry’s history that happen alongside the awakenings of Pennywise, the creepy clown.
Each season will cover a different year: 1962, 1935, and 1908, presented in reverse order. This unique storytelling method will explore Pennywise’s long history of terrifying the town.
Andy and Barbara Muschietti, who helped create the IT films, are also involved in this series, along with Jason Fuchs. Bill Skarsgård will reprise his role as Pennywise. The original IT films are about a group of kids, known as the Losers Club, who confront Pennywise, a shape-shifting monster that feeds on children. Although the Losers Club won’t be in Welcome to Derry, the series will look deeper into Pennywise’s actions during important moments in Derry’s past, giving a new perspective on the character.
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Muschietti stated, “It’s a story that’s based on the interludes of the book. The interludes are basically chapters that reflect Mike Hanlon’s research… So they talk about catastrophic events from the past, like the fire in the Black Spot, the massacre of the Bradley Gang, a gang of bank robbers in the ’30s, and the explosion of the Kitchener Ironworks. Every time Pennywise comes out of hibernation, there is a catastrophic event that happens at the beginning of that cycle… We are basing the three seasons of this series on each of these catastrophic events.”
The IT movies were big hits at the box office, with the first movie making over $704 million and the second one making about $473 million worldwide. While the second movie received mixed reviews compared to the first, both films are still very popular adaptations of Stephen King’s work. Given their success, along with the return of key creators and the beloved character of Pennywise, there are high hopes for the new series.
The first season of Welcome to Derry is set to premiere on HBO in 2025 and will have nine episodes. If the series is well-received, it could potentially expand beyond the initial three-season plan. The show aims to provide a fresh look at Pennywise’s terror over Derry, and its focus on specific historical events will add more depth and context to the story already established in the films.
Source: Radio TU
