Pennywise's reign of terror begins! All about 'Welcome to Derry'
The much-awaited prequel to Stephen King's IT, titled Welcome to Derry, unveiled its first teaser on Monday. The teaser was part of HBO's 2024-2025 lineup montage, offering viewers a glimpse into the eerie events unfolding in the series' titular town of Derry, Maine. The trailer ominously reminds audiences, "This ain't America—This is Derry." So, will Pennywise the Dancing Clown make his way to the small screen? Here's what to expect.
Pennywise returns: 'IT' prequel series to explore origin story
Pennywise the Dancing Clown, the antagonist from King's 1986 novel It, will be featured in this prequel. The character was previously brought to life on screen in a two-part miniseries in 1990 and later in It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019) with Bill Skarsgard portraying Pennywise. After the film franchise concluded, Max announced plans for this prequel series focusing on Pennywise's origin story.
'Welcome to Derry' plot; premiere delayed to 2025
Many reports suggest that the storyline of Welcome to Derry will delve into the rise of Pennywise before the events of 2017's IT, set in the 1960s. Initially scheduled for an October 2024 premiere, the series was postponed to 2025 due to the dual strikes by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) last year, halting the production.
King and Andy Muschietti collaborate on prequel series
King expressed his enthusiasm for the prequel project in a 2023 press release, stating he was pleased that Andy Muschietti would be overseeing it along with his sister Barbara. The cast of Welcome to Derry includes Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, Taylour Paige, James Remar, Stephen Rider, and Madeleine Stowe. In June, additional cast members were announced including Alixandra Fuchs, Kimberly Guerrero, and others. Rudy Mancuso has been cast in a key recurring role.
Derry: A recurring locale in Stephen King's universe
The town of Derry, a fictional setting that first appeared in acclaimed author King's 1981 short story The Bird and the Album, is a recurring locale in his works. Over the years, it has been featured or referenced in numerous novels, and short stories by King, and their adaptations, including It (1986), Secret Window, Secret Garden (1990) Insomnia (1994), and The Road Virus Heads North among others. The upcoming series Welcome to Derry continues this tradition.
'Welcome to Derry' shifts from Max exclusive to HBO Original
In June, HBO and Max content CEO Casey Bloys addressed the rebranding of Welcome to Derry and two other upcoming series, shifting them from Max exclusives to HBO Originals. Bloys explained, "We felt like we had to delineate between an HBO show and a Max show." He added, "As we started producing those shows, we were using the same methods, the same kind of thinking, as how we would approach HBO shows."
