‘IT’ Prequel ‘Welcome to Derry’ Ordered to Series at HBO Max

Pennywise the Clown is floating to the small screen in a new prequel series ordered at HBO Max.

Set in the world of author Stephen King’s IT universe, Welcome to Derry (the project’s current working title) will expand the vision established by filmmaker Andy Muschietti in the films IT and IT Chapter Two. Developing the series for television are Muschietti, his sister Barbara and Jason Fuchs, with Andy set to direct multiple episodes including the premiere.

“As teenagers, we took turns reading chapters of Stephen King’s IT until the thick paperback fell to pieces,” said Andy and Barbara Muschietti 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.”

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“I’m excited that the story of Derry, Maine’s most haunted city, is continuing,” said King, “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!”

The show will reportedly take place in the ’60s and explore the origins of the curse that would haunt the small Maine town for the next 27 years. The series will lead into the events of the first IT film, which starred Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard, Jaeden Martell (Knives Out, Defending Jacob), Sophia Lillis (I Am Not Okay With This), Chosen Jacobs (God Friended Me, Hawaii Five-0), Jeremy Ray Taylor (Big Sky) and Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise.

Skarsgård reprised the role for the 2019 sequel which starred James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Jessica Chastain, Isaiah Mustafa and Jay Ryan as the grown-up characters from Chapter One.

IT was previously adapted into a 1990 miniseries starring Richard Thomas, Tim Reid, John Ritter, Harry Anderson, Annette O’Toole, Seth Green, Jonathan Brandis and Tim Curry as the terrifying clown creature.

Are you ready to float again with your ol’ pal Pennywise? Let us know your thoughts about the IT prequel by dropping a comment below.