Welcome To Derry might not sound like the most exciting set of words at first glance, but Stephen King addicts will know that this (working) title refers to the setting of the It franchise. This Max series will go back in time as a prequel to 2017’s It and 2019’s It Chapter Two. Those films were, of course, directed by Andy Muschietti and written by Gary Dauberman, Chase Palmer, and Cary Fukunaga. They starred Jaeden Martell, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, and — most crucially — Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise the Clown.
The latter figurehead terrorized the children of Derry, Maine, and an epic struggle led to the initial defeat of Pennywise and a blood oath for the Losers Club to return and vanquish the demonic clown again. What should viewers expect from the prequel series?
Plot
Andy Muschietti has developed the series (in conjunction with sister Barbara Muschietti, who produced the It movies) with Jason Fuchs on writing and producing duties. Andy will also direct at least the first two episodes, so King fans are in good hands, even though the horror maestro himself actually hasn’t published a literary prequel to It. King has enthusiastically endorsed the project, as revealed by EW:
“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!”
Andy and Barbara have likewise expressed their intent:
“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 series will pick up back in the 1960s, according to Variety, to inform horror lovers of Pennywise’s origin story as he sets about claiming his first of hundreds of victims. Man, it’s already difficult enough going through puberty without also being confronted by a monster who feeds upon their worst fears, and viewers might already be going in while feeling worried about getting too close to these characters. Yet with such devoted creative forces on the job, you know that this series will deliver compelling reasons to watch.
Cast
There’s been no indication of who will portray Pennywise in the series. That should be a major announcement when it arrives, but for now, the known cast includes Madeleine Stowe, Stephen Rider, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, James Remar, and Taylour Paige.
Release Date
Max has revealed this series as part of its 2025 slate, although a precise date is being kept under wraps for now.
Trailer
Shortly after the 1:30 mark below, you can catch a glimpse of first-look footage from this series.