'It' Prequel Series 'Welcome To Derry' In The Works At HBO Max [News]
Stephen King stays winning. His beloved horror book, IT, is now being developed into a series for HBO Max with the working title, Welcome to Derry. The series is a prequel to the events of the films, made by filmmakers (and siblings) Andy and Barbara Muschietti. The Muschiettis will also be involved in the series, as will Jason Fuchs (IT Chapter Two). Andy is even set to direct multiple episodes, including the pilot.
“As teenagers, we took turns reading chapters of Stephen King’s IT until the thick paperback fell to pieces,” the Muschiettis said 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.”
“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 said. “Red balloons all around!”
IT told the story of a group of friends battling a shape-shifting monster – often appearing as a demonic clown – in a small Maine town. The narrative timeline was split between the protagonists as kids and as middle-aged adults. There’s no word on casting for the series yet, and fans will surely wonder if Bill Skarsgård will return as Pennywise.
“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.
“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.”
The casting, acting, and style of the IT movies was fantastic, so I cannot wait to see what this trio creates for a whole HBO Max series. The 2017 film IT brought in $700 million worldwide, and the 2019 sequel, It Chapter Two, grossed $473 million worldwide. Do you think this means LA will see another amazing The Neibolt House pop-up?
