Great news for all fans of Stephen King in general and Pennywise in particular: IT and IT: Chapter 2 director Andy Muschietti is working on a prequel story about the city of Derry and clown monster Pennywise.
A system is slowly but surely emerging: “The Batman” is getting at least one spin-off series, as is “Dune” and now Studio Warner is also expanding the “ES” franchise. Then after ‘IT’ and ‘IT: Chapter 2’ work has now begun on a prequel series with the working title ‘Welcome To Derry’.
This was first reported by reliable film and series insider Jeff Sneider in the newsletter The Ankle. However, there is only the message that the series is in progress, but has not yet received the green light. However, more information can be found in the major US industry magazines:
Prequel series about Derry and (!) Pennywise
Such as Variety reported, Welcome To Derry is set to take place in the 1960s, some 20 years before the events of IT, which is mostly set in the ’80s. However, the series should then lead directly to “ES”, so to speak, so the action will probably extend over these approx. 20 years.
Also, in “Welcome To Derry” we’re supposed to be the Origin Story told by horror clown Pennywise (played by Bill Skarsgård in the films). There were hints of this in It: Chapter 2, where grown-up Beverly (Jessica Chastain) discovers a photograph in an old woman’s apartment that appears to show Pennywise in human form.
In Stephen King’s book, Pennywise is actually just one of many forms that the extraterrestrial monster takes on to terrorize the people of Derry, but the terms are sometimes used interchangeably. So it remains to be seen whether we will see the origin of Pennywise or It or both in Welcome To Derry.
From the makers of “ES” and “ES 2”
In any case, it is clear that the team behind “ES” and “ES 2” should ensure that the prequel feels like part of the successful film series (“IT” is the highest-grossing horror film of all time with almost 702 million dollars at the box office, “ES 2” is still in 11th place).
According to information from Variety Andy and Barbara, Muschietti will be in charge of the project as producers and they also came up with the idea for the series. Jason Fuchs is the screenwriter who was also involved in “ES 2”.
Should the series get the green light, “ES” and “ES 2” director Andy Muschietti would also direct the first episode of the series and thus set the visual and staging style that the other directors of the series follow.
In Germany on RTL+?
“Welcome To Derry” is to come to the HBO Max streaming service in the USA at an as yet unknown date, which does not yet exist in Germany. Depending on when the project appears, the series could appear in Germany on Sky (the previous HBO partner) or on RTL+ (the new HBO Max partner).
