HBO Max Orders ‘It’ Prequel Series ‘Welcome to Derry’ From Andy Muschietti

Pennywise the Dancing Clown is coming to HBO Max.

The streamer has given a straight-to-series order to a drama based on Stephen King’s beloved horror novel It.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

• NYFW: Teyana Taylor, Kelsea Ballerini and Louisa Jacobson at LaQuan Smith, Carolina Herrera and Jason Wu

• 'Avenue 5' Canceled After Two Seasons on HBO

• Richard Plepler's Eden Productions Recruits HBO Exec

Filmmakers Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti (who made the successful big-screen adaptations It and It: Chapter Two) and Jason Fuchs (It: Chapter Two) are on board the project from Warner Bros. Television. Andy Muschietti will direct multiple episodes of the series, including the first episode. The show’s working title is Welcome to Derry.

Creative details are scarce, except that the series will be a prequel to New Line’s It films, promising to “expand the vision” of the movies. Fuchs will write the first episode, which is based on a story by the Muschiettis and Fuchs. Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane will serve as co-showrunners on the project.

“As teenagers, we took turns reading chapters of Stephen King’s It until the thick paperback fell to pieces,” the Muschiettis said in a statement. “It is an epic story that contains multitudes, far beyond what we could explore in our It movies. We can’t wait to share the depths of Steve’s novel, in all its heart, humor, humanity and horror.”

“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,” King said. “Red balloons all around!”

It told the story of a group of friends battling a shape-shifting monster – often appearing as a demonic clown – in a small Maine town. The narrative timeline was split between the protagonists as kids and as middle-aged adults. There’s no word on casting for the series yet, and fans will surely wonder if Bill Skarsgard will return as Pennywise.

“To be able to return to the world of my all-time favorite horror novel and help build upon the singularly brilliant cinematic universe created by Andy and Barbara is more than the opportunity of a lifetime, it’s a dream come true — or, maybe more appropriately, a nightmare,” Fuchs said.

“We are thrilled to continue this iconic franchise with the brilliant Andy and Barbara Muschietti, Jason Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane,” said Sarah Aubrey, head of original content at HBO Max. “This prequel will expand the It storytelling canvas and bring fans deeper into the terrifying, mesmerizing town of Derry.”

The It films were box office powerhouses, with the first earning $700 million worldwide in 2017 and its 2019 sequel grossing $473 million worldwide.

Click here to read the full article.