Welcome to Derry: Everything You Need To Know About The ‘It’ Prequel Series

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Are you ready to return to the eerie town of Derry, Maine? If your answer is a resounding yes, you will be thrilled to hear that HBO Max has a prequel series named Welcome to Derry in the works. The show will explore the nightmares that haunt Derry’s past and the terrifying entity, otherwise known as Pennywise, that has terrorized its occupants over the centuries.

“We are thrilled to continue this iconic franchise with the brilliant Andy and Barbara Muschietti, Jason Fuchs, and Brad Caleb Kane,” said Sarah Aubrey, Head of Original Content at HBO Max. “This prequel will expand the IT storytelling canvas and bring fans deeper into the terrifying, mesmerizing town of Derry.”

No one is more delighted to see the story of Derry hit the small screen than the mastermind behind It himself, Stephen King. 

“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 stated. “Red balloons all around!”

Read on for more news about the exciting new It prequel series Welcome to Derry.

Who is creating Welcome to Derry?

The sibling duo behind the films It and It: Chapter Two are ready to return to the haunted town of Derry. Since the novel’s inception in 1986, the titular title has garnered quite the following, with filmmakers Andy and Barbara Muschietti at the forefront.

“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.” 

The Muschiettis are not the only familiar faces returning to helm the project. According to Deadline, Jason Fuchs—Wonder Woman writer and a co-producer on It: Chapter Two—will also develop the series alongside Black Sails producer Brad Kane. 

“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,” Fuchs said.

Fuchs will pen the script for the first episode, based on the story from Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Fuchs. Andy will direct multiple episodes, including the premiere, and will also serve as an executive producer on the series alongside Barbara, Fuchs, and Kane. 

Who is in the cast of Welcome to Derry?

There are no casting announcements for Welcome to Derry yet.

When is the release date for Welcome to Derry?

The It prequel series is in the beginning stages of development, so there is no official release date.  

Is there a trailer for the It prequel series?

There is no trailer for Welcome to Derry

What other adaptations can you expect in the upcoming year?

In addition to the show Welcome to Derry, there are more book adaptations to look forward to in 2023: Circe, A Court of Thorns and Roses, Daisy Jones and the Six, Dune: Part Two, The Idea of You, It Ends with Us, The Inheritance Games, The Love Hypothesis, The Maidens, Ninth House, People We Meet on Vacation, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Red, White, and Royal Blue, The Selection, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and Uglies.