Deadline reports that Bill Skarsgård is set to reprise his role of Pennywise the clown for the upcoming It prequel series Welcome to Derry (which may end up only being a working title).
In addition to starring in the It prequel series, Bill Skarsgård will also executive produce. When asked last year, the actor said he wasn’t involved in the series, so I think fans are relieved that he will be lending his bloodthirsty giggle to the proceedings after all. Skarsgård’s take on Pennywise was instantly iconic in my eyes, so it was hard to imagine the series either skipping the character altogether or recasting. I’m excited to see him come back.
Andy Muschietti, who directed the two It movies, developed the series alongside producers Barbara Muschietti, Jason Fuchs, Brad Caleb Kane, David Coatsworth, Shelley Meals, Roy Lee, and Dan Lin. The story comes from Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs. Fuchs wrote the pilot episode and served as co-showrunner alongside Brad Caleb Kane. The show started shooting last year, with Andy Muschietti directing four of the nine episodes. In addition to Skarsgård, the It prequel series also stars Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, Madeleine Stowe, Stephen Rider, and James Remar.
When the show was first announced, It author Stephen King had this to say: “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!“ The Muschiettis added, “As teenagers, we took turns reading chapters of Stephen King’s It until the thick paperback fell to pieces. 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.“
As for when the series will be released, HBO’s Casey Bloys has said that it was originally slated for Halloween 2024 but will more than likely be pushed back to 2025.