IT Prequel Welcome to Derry Ordered as Series at HBO Max
A prequel TV series to Stephen King's IT has been in the works at HBO Max for months, with The Hollywood Reporter confirming today that the project, known as Welcome to Derry, has officially been ordered to series at the streamer. Director Andy Muschietti and producer Barbara Muschietti, who developed IT and IT CHAPTER TWO, are involved in the project, while IT CHAPTER TWO producer Jason Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane will serve as co-showrunners. Andy Muschietti is confirmed to be directing episodes of the series, including the debut installment. Stay tuned for details on Welcome to Derry.
Given the title of the series, the show is expected to unfold in the small Maine town in which the original King story takes place, and the project is expected to "expand the vision" of the source material. While Pennywise the Dancing Clown was the main threat of the original story, it's unknown if the figure will factor into this series or if it will merely explore a number of other unsettling experiences suffered in the town.
"As teenagers, we took turns reading chapters of Stephen King's IT until the thick paperback fell to pieces," the Muschiettis revealed 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."
As any King fan can tell you, his legacy has established how various stories all connect to one another in unexpected ways, with it being possible that other disturbing events could be embraced for the series that aren't directly connected to IT.
"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 shared. "Red balloons all around!"
Fuchs added, "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."
Reports of the series being developed date back to March of 2022, with this update sure to excite fans.
"We are thrilled to continue this iconic franchise with the brilliant Andy and Barbara Muschietti, Jason Fuchs, and Brad Caleb Kane," Sarah Aubrey, head of original content at HBO Max, expressed. "This prequel will expand the IT storytelling canvas and bring fans deeper into the terrifying, mesmerizing town of Derry."
Stay tuned for details on Welcome to Derry.
Are you looking forward to the series? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!