'It: Welcome to Derry': What to expect from 'It' prequel
What's the story
The upcoming series It: Welcome to Derry will expand on the universe of Stephen King's iconic horror novel, It.
The show, in development for Max, will be a prequel to the events of King's book.
Bill Skarsgard, who gave a chilling performance as Pennywise the Dancing Clown in Andy Muschietti's film adaptations of It and It: Chapter Two, will reprise his role in the series.
Plot details
'It: Welcome to Derry' will delve into Pennywise's origins
Set in the 1960s, the series will delve into the origin story of Pennywise, the supernatural villain who appears every 27 years to feast on terrified kids.
The character is famous for his shapeshifting abilities, extraterrestrial origin, and ties to other aspects of King's literary universe.
A short preview of It: Welcome to Derry was released in December 2023, giving fans a sneak peek into this chilling prequel.
Recently, Max released a few first-look images.
Twitter Post
Here are the first-look images
Your worst dream come true... a first look at the HBO Original Series #ITWelcomeToDerry, coming to Max in 2025. pic.twitter.com/RU6Na83Ybc
— Max (@StreamOnMax) October 31, 2024
Production team
Meet the cast and crew of 'It: Welcome to Derry'
Muschietti is returning as a director and producer, along with Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs.
He is expected to direct only four of the nine planned episodes, including the premiere.
The ensemble cast includes Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Madeleine Stowe, and Rudy Mancuso.
Production hurdles
'It: Welcome to Derry' faced production delays
Production for It: Welcome to Derry started in Toronto in May 2023 but was suspended due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes later that year.
This caused a delay in the series' premiere date, which is now expected to be sometime in 2025 on Max.
Despite these setbacks, anticipation for the show remains high among fans of King's work and the horror genre at large.