'It' Gets a Prequel Series: Everything to Know About 'Welcome to Derry'
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Pennywise the Clown in Stephen King's It
Pennywise the Clown's reign of terror continues: It is getting a prequel series called Welcome to Derry.
“As teenagers, we took turns reading chapters of Stephen King’s It until the thick paperback fell to pieces,” Barbara and Andrew Muschietti said in a statement announcing the series. “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.”
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The smash hit horror films It and It: Chapter Two, based on the iconic Stephen King novel, released in 2017 and 2019, were two of the biggest horror blockbusters ever, raking in $1.1 billion at the global box office.
King gushed of the show, “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. Red balloons all around!”
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“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,” It Chapter Two co-producer Jason Fuchs said.
Here's everything we know so far about Welcome to Derry.
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Is Welcome to Derry coming out?
No specific release or premiere date has yet been set for Welcome to Derry, but it's set to debut sometime in 2025. Filming began in May 2023, but was temporarily halted due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Production is reportedly set to resume on Jan. 22, 2024, and wrap that June.
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Where can I watch Welcome to Derry?
Welcome to Derry will air on HBO and stream on Max.
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What is Welcome to Derry going to be about?
Sarah Aubrey, head of original content at HBO Max, said in a statement, “This prequel will expand the It storytelling canvas and bring fans deeper into the terrifying, mesmerizing town of Derry.”
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Who is in the Welcome to Derry cast?
While no character details have yet been revealed, we do know some of the Welcome to Derry cast. It includes:
Taylour Paige
Taylor Hill/WireImage
Taylour Paige starred in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and won an Independent Spirit Award for Zola.
Jovan Adepo
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Jovan Adepo had a star turn in Babylon and was nominated for an Emmy for HBO's Watchmen series.
Chris Chalk
Monica Schipper/Getty Images
Chris Chalk has appeared in Perry Mason (the HBO reboot) and All Dirt Roads Taste Like Salt. He'll next appear in Feud: Capote's Women on FX.
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James Remar
Jody Cortes/Getty Images for ABA
A prolific character actor, James Remar was among the many acclaimed stars in Oppenheimer. He's also appeared in Once Upon a Time...In Hollywood, X-Men: First Class, Pineapple Express, Horns and 2 Fast 2 Furious, to name a few.
Stephen Rider
Gilbert Carrasquillo/FilmMagic
Stephen Rider starred in the Daredevil series as Greg Galson and has appeared in The Good Fight, Luke Cage, Elementary, Shameless and NCIS: Los Angeles. On the big screen, he's been seen in The Great Debaters, The Host and The Butler, among others.
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Chad Rook
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
Chad Rook's previous credits include War for the Planet of the Apes, Virgin River, The 100, CW's The Flash, Supernatural, Joe Pickett, Billy the Kid and Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City.
Madeleine Stowe
Todd Williamson/Getty Images
Madeline Stowe is slated to be a recurring guest star on Welcome to Derry. She's previously starred in Last of the Mohicans, 12 Monkeys, Revenge and Little House on the Prairie.
It remains to be seen if Bill Skarsgård will reprise his role as Pennywise the Clown.
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Who plays Pennywise in Welcome to Derry?
It's unknown as of yet who will take on the role of the killer clown Pennywise in Welcome to Derry. In a March 2023 interview, Bill Skarsgård revealed he hasn't had any conversations with producers or casting about the series yet, but gave advice to the potential next star on how to play Pennywise.
"We'll see what they come up with and what they do with it," he said, adding, "My advice would just be make it your own. Have fun with it. What I thought was so pleasurable about that character was how incredibly abstract he was."
Bill Skarsgard says he's not currently involved with 'IT' Spin-off series 'WELCOME TO DERRY'.
(Via: @JakesTakes) #WelcomeToDerry pic.twitter.com/XmQo0NgrKV— CriticalOverlord (@CriticalOverlo3) March 30, 2023
How many episodes will Welcome to Derry be?
An official episode count for Welcome to Derry hasn't been revealed yet.
Is there a Welcome to Derry trailer?
A full trailer for Welcome to Derry hasn't yet been released, but a brief teaser can be seen in an HBO promotional video for upcoming programming. Similarly to It, we see kids riding bikes and an eerie hand appearing to pull a young boy into water—and one of Pennywise's trademark red balloons. We also hear a voice, actor unseen, saying, "This ain't America. This is Derry."
Next, check out the best and worst horror movie remakes of all time.
