It: Welcome to Derry will give Bill Skarsgard the chance to do things he has never done as Pennywise before
The HBO and HBO Max TV series It: Welcome to Derry, which serves as a prequel to Warner Bros’ two-part adaptation of the classic Stephen King novel It (pick up a copy HERE), went into production in Port Hope, Ontario at the end of last year, and made its premiere at the end of October. New episodes of the season debut weekly, leading up to the season finale on December 14 – and now that we’ve passed the halfway point, it’s time for Bill Skarsgård to steal the show as the evil clown Pennywise, the character he previously played in the two movies. During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, a showrunner promised that this series will give Skarsgård the chance to do things he has never done as Pennywise before.
JoBlo’s own Alex Maidy gave It: Welcome to Derry an 8/10 review that you can read at THIS LINK.
Brad Caleb Kane (Tokyo Vice) and Jason Fuchs (Wonder Woman), who was a co-producer on It: Chapter Two, are the showrunners on It: Welcome to Derry (and Kane recently signed on to be showrunner on the Friday the 13th series Crystal Lake as well.) The show is being executive produced by Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti, the sibling director/producer duo that was behind the two It movies, through their production company Double Dream. Kane and Fuchs are also executive producing, as are Shelley Meals, Roy Lee, and Dan Lin. The series is produced by HBO Max and Warner Bros. Television.
Fuchs wrote the script for the first episode, working from a story he crafted with the Muschiettis. Andy Muschietti has directed four episodes of the nine-episode series.
Stephen King had this to say about the series when it was first announced: “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!“ The Muschiettis added, “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 cast of Welcome to Derry includes Taylour Paige (Zola), Jovan Adepo (Watchmen), Chris Chalk (Perry Mason), James Remar (Dexter), Madeleine Stowe (Revenge), Stephen Rider (Daredevil), Alixandra Fuchs (Hatfields & McCoys), Kimberly Guerrero (The English), Dorian Grey (Star Trek: Discovery), Thomas Mitchell (Gangland Undercover), BJ Harrison (Family Law), Peter Outerbridge (Saw VI), Shane Marriott (Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent), Chad Rook (Billy the Kid), Joshua Odjick (Little Bird), Rudy Mancuso (Música), and Morningstar Angeline (Westworld). Bill Skarsgård reprises the role of Pennywise.
We have heard that the plan is for the show to last three seasons, which each one going further into the past. The first season is set in 1962, the second season will be set in 1935, and the third season in 1908. Warner Bros. is reportedly happy with the first season and wants to start production on season 2 as soon as possible.
Barbara Muschietti told Entertainment Weekly that they held off on bringing Pennywise into the show because “We decided that, in this season, Pennywise should be a little bit like the shark in Jaws. You really want to be strategic. In both movies, it was very important for us to keep the mystery and the fear for this character alive. We find that familiarity is the enemy of that. So it was important for us to delay the pleasure, or the terror, as much as we could.” Jason Fuchs added, “A huge part of the creative process was, ‘When do we introduce this character in the context of this story?’ It really was a function, ultimately, of the story and the characters dictating it.” He added that Skarsgård’s “performance goes to some unexpected places. He has opportunities with this character that the story of the films did not present. Not only are you getting a really, hopefully, thrilling build-up to seeing Pennywise, you are also gonna see Bill doing things you’ve not seen him do in this character yet.“
Are you looking forward to seeing what Bill Skarsgård will have the chance to do as Pennywise on It: Welcome to Derry? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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