Summary
- IT: Welcome to Derry is a prequel series from the creators of the films, exploring Derry in the 1960s.
- Bill Skarsgard will reprise his role as Pennywise in the series and promises the show will not be toned down for TV.
- The series may reveal more about IT's origin and the Black Spot incident.
The IT films are two of the most iconic horror movies of the past decade , thanks to Stephen King’s terrifying Killer Clown. While IT: Chapter One and IT: Chapter Two closed the book on the original story, a new HBO series, IT: Welcome to Derry, is a prequel set to provide more details on the chilling history of Derry, and one of the main stars of the series has teased that it will not be an easy viewing experience.
IT: Welcome to Derry comes from the same developers of the movies, Andy and Barbara Muschietti. The horror story takes place in Derry, Maine, in the 1960s, 27 years before Pennywise’s rise in IT: Chapter One. The series features an all-new cast (although some characters may harbor connections to those in other IT stories), including Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, Taylour Paige, James Remar, and Stephen Rider. Bill Skarsgard is also set to reprise his role as the titular IT, aka Pennywise.
Bill Skarsgard Teases IT Prequel Series
Skarsgard recently spoke to Josh Horowitz on the Happy, Sad, Confused podcast where he revealed he thought he was done with his role as Pennywise until he learned the Muschiettis were involved in IT: Welcome to Derry. After agreeing to return he also boarded the series as an executive producer. “We got to explore parts of Pennywise that we haven’t seen,” Skarsgard revealed, adding he was eager for audiences to see what the series has cooked up. The actor was also quick to deny any idea that It: Welcome to Derry would be toned down for TV, saying “It’s pretty hardcore.”
Both IT films were rated R in the USA for their strong violence and disturbing imagery. With IT: Welcome to Derry airing on HBO, it seems that the series will be pushing into darker and more gruesome territory as the premium cable channel allows. As for the unseen parts of Pennywise that Skarsgard hinted at, it’s been speculated that It: Welcome to Derry will explore the origin story of the evil entity. The origins of IT in Stephen King’s novels are murky, but it is believed to have formed in a far-off universe known as the Macroverse. The prequel series may clear up some of the history around IT’s creation, perhaps even alluding to its enemy, the Turtle. Whatever the case, one thing that seems clear is that IT: Welcome to Derry will continue to push the boundaries of horror featuring the dancing clown.
The exact plot details for the IT prequel series are still fairly thin on the ground. However, it has been confirmed the series will explore the Black Spot incident, which is a tragic event Mike Hanlon’s father experienced involving a white supremacy group known as the Maine Legion of White Decency. “Every 27 years when IT appears, It’s cycle is marked by two catastrophic events, one at the beginning and one in the end. We are using the Black Spot as an event in which many stories are built around,” the Muschiettis told Entertainment Weekly earlier in the year. IT: Welcome to Derry is targeting a 2025 release date so more plot details and footage can be expected soon.
It Chapter Two
Display card tags widget Display card community and brand rating widget Display card main info widget- Release Date
- September 6, 2019
WHERE TO WATCH
Join the Losers' Club as they return to Derry in It Chapter Two to confront the terrifying Pennywise once and for all. Packed with spine-chilling scares, compelling characters, and immersive visuals, this Blu-ray edition brings the chilling conclusion to Stephen King's epic tale right into your living room. This set is packed with extra features, including multiple documentaries, director commentary, and featurettes.
- Cast
- Bill Skarsgård, James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, Andy Bean, Teach Grant, Jaeden Martell, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Chosen Jacobs, Wyatt Oleff, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Jack Dylan Grazer, Nicholas Hamilton, Molly Atkinson, Luke Roessler, Joan Gregson, Jackson Robert Scott, Javier Botet, Xavier Dolan, Taylor Frey, Stephen Bogaert
- Runtime
- 169 minutes
- Director
- Andy Muschietti
- Writers
- Gary Dauberman
- Prequel(s)
- It
- Franchise(s)
- IT
- Studio
- Warner Bros.
- Budget
- $79 million
- Studio(s)
- Warner Bros. Pictures
- Distributor(s)
- Warner Bros. Pictures
