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It – Welcome to Derry
Upcoming American supernatural horror television series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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It: Welcome to Derry is an upcoming American supernatural horror television series based on Stephen King's 1986 novel It. Serving as a prequel to the films It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019), the series was developed by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs, all of whom were involved in the It films. The series stars Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Clara Stack, Amanda Christine, and Mikkal Karim-Fidler, with Bill Skarsgård (who also serves as an executive producer) reprising his role as Pennywise from the films.
Andy and Barbara Muschietti along with Fuchs were developing an It television series by March 2022. After receiving a production commitment later that November, Fuchs and Brad Kane were hired as showrunners. The series was greenlit in February 2023, with Andy Muschietti attached to direct multiple episodes, including the pilot episode, and Fuchs as a writer. Casting began later in April, including Skarsgård being cast in May 2024, and ended in July 2025. Filming for the series began in May 2023 but was halted that July due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Filming ended in August 2024.
It: Welcome to Derry is scheduled to premiere on HBO on October 26, 2025.
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Premise
In 1962, a couple with their son move to Derry, Maine just as a young boy disappears. With their arrival, very bad things begin to happen in the town.[3]
Cast and characters
Main
- Taylour Paige as Charlotte Hanlon[4]
- Jovan Adepo as Leroy Hanlon[4]
- Blake Cameron James as Will Hanlon[5]
- Chris Chalk as Dick Hallorann[4]
- James Remar as General Shaw[5]
- Stephen Rider as Hank[6]
- Madeleine Stowe
- Rudy Mancuso as Captain Pauly Russo[5]
- Clara Stack as Lilly
- Amanda Christine as Ronnie Grogan
- Mikkal Karim-Fidler as Teddy
- Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise
Recurring
- Dean Yool
- Alixandra Fuchs
- Kimberly Norris Guerrero as Rose[7]
- Tyner Rushing
- Dorian Grey
- Thomas Mitchell
- BJ Harrison
- Peter Outerbridge
- Shane Marriott
- Chad Rook
- Joshua Odjick
- Morningstar Angeline
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Episodes
Production
Summarize
Perspective
Development
In March 2022, Variety reported that Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs were developing and serving as executive producers of a prequel television series of the film It (2017) for HBO Max titled Welcome to Derry, which was to take place in the 1960s before the events of the film and would also include the origin story of Pennywise.[10][11] It received a production commitment in November 2022, and Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane were hired as co-showrunners.[12] The series was given a greenlight in February 2023 with Andy Muschietti directing multiple episodes, including the pilot written by Fuchs.[13] Bill Skarsgård serves as an executive producer.[9]
Writing
In January 2025, in an interview with Radio TU, Andy Muschietti revealed details about the source material and longer-term plans. He said that the series is based on interlude chapters from the It novel. He also said that three seasons are intended for the series, set in 1962, 1935, and 1908 respectively. "There's a reason why the story is told backwards," he added.[14][15] Muschietti mentioned how with the first season they are only "opening a window" of the story and that it will really "manifest" in the second and third seasons.[16] The series will also focus on why Pennywise stays in Derry when he could go "somewhere else" and why he takes advantage of children since adults don't understand what happens to them.[17] Executive producer Jason Fuchs said that the plan, apart from revealing the origin of Pennywise, is also the origin of the "cursed town." For Fuchs, Derry is also the entity "in many ways" since Pennywise "actually predates Derry". If given the opportunity, over the planned seasons they plan to leave a "different understanding of the creature, the town's rules, and what motivates It."[6]
Casting
In April 2023, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, Taylour Paige and James Remar joined the cast in starring roles.[11] Additionally, Stephen Rider joined as a series regular, and Madeleine Stowe as a recurring guest.[18] In May 2024, Bill Skarsgård was cast to star in the series, reprising his role as Pennywise.[9] In June 2024, Alixandra Fuchs, Kimberly Guerrero, Dorian Grey, Thomas Mitchell, BJ Harrison, Peter Outerbridge, Shane Marriott, Chad Rook, Joshua Odjick, and Morningstar Angeline were cast in recurring capacities.[19] In July, Rudy Mancuso joined the cast in a recurring role.[20]
Filming
Principal photography began in Toronto, Hamilton and Port Hope in May 2023, under the shooting title Greetings from Fairview, and was expected to continue through December.[21][22][23] Scenes were shot at the Delta Secondary School.[24] In mid-July 2023, production was suspended due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.[25] In August 2024, it was reported that production on the series had concluded,[26][27] and it was revealed that the series was titled It: Welcome to Derry.[28] Barbara Muschietti revealed the difficulty of returning to film the series with the child cast after the 2023 Hollywood strikes, as they were "in a state of spontaneous growth."[6]
Music
In May 2025, it was reported that Benjamin Wallfisch would score the series. Wallfisch previously scored the It films.[29]
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Marketing
The first teaser was released on May 20, 2025.[30] The second teaser was shown to attendees at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 and released to the public the following day.[3] The official trailer was released on September 23, showing a full look at Pennywise.[2] Muschietti and some of the cast attended New York Comic-Con to talk about the season.[7] A red band trailer was released on October 14.[31]
Release
It: Welcome to Derry is scheduled to premiere on HBO on October 26, 2025, with subsequent episodes airing weekly.[32] It was previously slated to stream exclusively on HBO Max.[33]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 77% of 53 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "While scattered plotting occasionally drains the fear from its chilling premise, IT: Welcome to Derry compellingly deepens the myth of Pennywise through sharp social commentary, a dreadful atmosphere, and committed performances."[34] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the series a score of 58 out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[35]
In a negative review, Jack Hamilton of Slate dubbed the series "a baffling, half-baked mess", complimenting the acting performances of the adult cast and highlighting some standout horror sequences, but criticized the "one-dimensional" writing for the child characters, overly complex plotting, "dated" representation of Native Americans in the United States, weak fanservice and "ham-fisted forays into socio-historical commentary".[36]
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References
External links
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