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Welcome to Derry: It prequel series on HBO Max
HBO Max is considering doing a prequel series to "IT", Variety says. It's currently called "Welcome to Derry", would be set in the 1960s and include a Pennywise origin story.
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Work has officially begun on the IT prequel series Welcome to Derry with the opening of the writer's room. Stephen King's IT has long been a staple franchise of the horror genre, delivering chills from the pages of the 1986 novel to Andy Muschietti's 2017 and 2019 reboots. Tim Curry's portrayal of Pennywise the Clown in Warner's 1990 miniseries is still celebrated as the scariest adaptation of the killer creature, culminating in the new documentary Pennywise: The Story of IT releasing this summer.
Despite King delivering the complete story of Pennywise within his book's nearly 1,200 pages, HBO and Muschietti agree that fans must want to see more of the clown on television screens after their recent successes. Warner's past projects gave fans some insight into the brief backstory of Pennywise that King unveiled 36 years ago, which established the creature's destructive influence on Derry for centuries. But other than the Losers Club realizing his role in some critical events, Pennywise's origin story was never fully fleshed out. The brand new HBO Max prequel show Welcome to Derry aims to change that.
The prequel was purely speculative when announced back in March, but Sally Meals (Shadow and Bone, Witches of East End) has just confirmed that the writer's room for the series is officially open. Her tweet suggests that Warner has greenlit the project, and work on the script has likely already begun. She also shares a photo showcasing red balloons lining the hallway of the writers' office area.
IT fans will know that the red balloon is a significant motif in King's story, carried around by Pennywise to attract young children for his nefarious purpose of feeding on their fears. When news of the possible series broke in March, King thought it was an "okay idea," but Andy and Barbara Muschietti hadn't yet locked in the deal with HBO Max. Meals' first day in the screenwriting process is an indication that the series is confirmed, and the playfulness surrounding it also shows that the team is excited about exploring the mysterious origins of one of King's most famous characters.
The fun nature of day one in the writer's room may motivate the staff to churn out a compelling script that makes audiences happy, but there remains hesitation about the series. IT's origins chronicle as far back as the age of dinosaurs, and significant events in Derry's history featuring the cosmic entity are only alluded to, so a full-fledged show about his backstory is a hard sell with so little material to go on. The show is reportedly only set in the '60s, further limiting the potential content shown. King's mild optimism could prove misguided if the writers cannot craft a meaningful reason for Welcome to Derry to exist, but time will tell.
Jason Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane will serve as co-showrunners on the “It” prequel series currently in the works at HBO Max, Variety has learned exclusively.
The show, currently titled “Welcome to Derry,” was first reported as being in development in March. HBO Max has given the show a series production commitment. Exact plot details remain under wraps, aside from the fact that the show will serve as a prequel to the recent films “It: Chapter One” and “It: Chapter Two,” which were released in 2017 and 2019 respectively.
It was previously reported that Fuchs wrote the teleplay for the first episode of the series, based on a story he wrote along with Andy and Barbara Muschietti. Andy directed both of the new films, with Barbara having produced them. Fuchs was a co-producer on “It: Chapter Two.” Fuchs and Kane will executive produce along with the Muschiettis, with Andy being eyed to direct the series premiere. The Muschiettis executive produce under their Double Dream production banner. Warner Bros. Television is the studio, with WB having produced the two films.
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Considering the fact that the entity's presence in the Maine town goes back thousands of years, emerging every 27 years to feed, there's plenty of events that the show can explore and according to one HBO Max exec it's going to include some "demented scares."
"We have been working with Jason Fuchs, Brad Caleb Caine, Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti very closely," Sarah Aubrey HBO Max head of originals told Variety about Welcome to Derry. "They're so deep into this mythology and they have such a firm handle on the storytelling around these characters and also the demented scares that they're putting into things. Sometimes I'm, like, 'What's wrong with you?' Just all the wild ways they think up to terrify us. You'll be hearing more concretely about that development very soon... Andy is very involved in every bit of this, so that is the real recipe for success and for delighting fans."
Welcome to Derry could very well take place across hundreds of years, with the two IT movies previously considering showing some of these moments in the far past within the feature films. As fans know, these scenes were largely cut out of the movie, though teases to Pennywise's previous appearances in the town are teased in old photographs, newspapers, and drawings. A pre-clown version of the creature was even shot for the first IT movie but removed from the final cut of the movie.
"There was a scene we shot that was a flashback from the 1600s, before Pennywise," actor Bill Skarsgård previously revealed to Variety. "The scene turned out really, really disturbing. And I'm not the clown. I look more like myself. It's very disturbing, and sort of a backstory for what It is, or where Pennywise came from."
It's unclear if Skarsgård is in talks to reprise his Pennywise role for the upcoming HBO Max series, but with director Andy Muschietti and producer Barbara Muschietti both working on the show it seems like it could be a possibility.
HBO Max is starting to populate the town of Derry, New Hampshire.
The streamer has cast the first four actors in its It prequel series Welcome to Derry. Taylour Paige (Zola), Jovan Adepo (Watchmen), Chris Chalk (Perry Mason) and James Remar (Dexter) have all joined the project. Details on the roles they’ll play are being kept quiet for now.
Of note: Adepo will be entering a Stephen King-based world for the second time with Welcome to Derry. He also starred in Paramount+’s (then CBS All Access) adaptation of The Stand.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr88vRTOQRY/?img_index=1
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It stars Madeleine Stowe, Stephen Rider Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, and James Remar.
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