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The Stephen King universe continues to expand with new additions every year. In the past 10 years, he has had 12 film and 9 television series adaptations of his works. Since the original IT novel came out in 1986, it was an instant favorite, beloved by generations of King fans. When the 1990 miniseries came out, starring Tim Curry as the evil Pennywise, the show turned out to be the biggest hit on the ABC network that year.

Pennywise is perhaps one of King’s most prolific and popular villains, as a majority of his literary bad guys are just regular people like Annie Wilkes (Misery) or Randall Flagg (The Dark Tower). Evil people for sure, but there’s nothing supernatural about them or any way to immediately recognize the evil within them. Pennywise, on the other hand, is immediately recognizable as an evil threat, no matter what form he takes.

Thanks to Warner Bros Discovery's recent streaming announcement, we now have a lineup of what to expect from their streaming service, Max. Following the success of the two most recent IT films by Andy Muschietti, the prequel series Welcome to Derry was given the green light and production has been underway. This article will tell you everything you need to know before the 2024 release.

Editor's Note: This piece was updated on December 7, 2023.

Welcome to Derry Poster Ad
Welcome to Derry
Horror
Release Date
2025-00-00
Cast
Jovan Adepo , Chris Chalk , Taylour Paige , James Remar , stephen rider , Madeleine Stowe
Main Genre
Horror
Seasons
1
Streaming Service(s)
Max
Franchise(s)
IT
Directors
Andy Muschietti
Showrunner
Jason Fuchs

Does 'Welcome to Derry' Have a Release Date?

Four kids riding their bikes through the streets in Welcome to Derry
Image via Max

No, Welcome to Derry does not have a release date yet. In April 2023 Max revealed that the series was aiming to be released in 2024. However, in December 2023, it was revealed that the series had been delayed until sometime in 2025.

Is There a Trailer for 'Welcome to Derry'?

An official trailer for Welcome to Derry has not yet been released, but the first few seconds of footage was revealed during a sizzle reel highlighting upcoming series on HBO and Max. The first look at the series does not reveal much, but it does show the iconic red balloon, hinting that Pennywise may be lurking in the series.

Who’s in The Cast of 'Welcome to Derry'?

It’s been confirmed in an interview with Bill Skarsgård, who played Pennywise in the 2017 and 2019 films, will not be returning to reprise his sinister role. His replacement is yet to be determined, but the actor said he wishes them good luck and wants them to have fun with their interpretation of the character. WBD recently confirmed that Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, James Remar, and Chris Chalk will be in the cast for the prequel series, joining Madeleine Stowe (The General’s Daughter) and Stephen Rider (Daredevil).

Paige made her acting debut in 2008, as a featured dancer in High School Musical 3: Senior Year and has since continued to build her career, most notably in the A24 crime-drama Zola, and Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and she will soon star alongside Eddie Murphy in the long-awaited action-comedy sequel Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley. Jovan Adepo is a British actor who is best known for his performances in Fences, Overlord, and Babylon he received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his role in HBO's Watchmen limited series. Best known for playing ghostly father figure Harry Morgan in the serial killer series Dexter, James Remar has also appeared in several Quentin Tarantino movies such as Django Unchained and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. Chris Chalk, a North Carolina native, is best known for his work in the Netflix drama miniseries When They See Us and HBO’s Perry Mason series.

Considering the fact that Pennywise primarily targets children (or adult versions of the children he once tormented, as seen in IT Chapter Two) we can be certain that new casting announcements will be made in the coming months, featuring some fresh new faces. The most anticipated announcement, however, is definitely the unveiling of who will be stepping into Pennywise’s clown shoes for the prequel series.

What Is 'Welcome to Derry' About?

Jovan Adepo staring at a red balloon in a tree in Welcome to Derry
Image via Max

Set in the 1960s, this series is rumored to be focusing more on Pennywise the Clown’s origin story, leading us up to the events in the first IT film. While IT Chapter Two alluded to how Pennywise came to be, the full story is still a mystery.

Stephen King himself weighed in on the development of the prequel series in a press release, stating:

“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 only clues we have to go off of at this time are clues written into the two IT films that Muschietti created. In the first movie, when Ben shows off his findings to the other members of the “Losers Club,” he tells them that Derry started off as a beaver trapping camp. He continues, stating that all 91 people who signed the Derry Township charter disappeared during the winter of that year, leaving behind a bloody trail of clothes that led to the old well house.

As King said, Derry is certainly the most haunted (thankfully fictional) city in America with a history filled with mystery and tragedy. As Pennywise only resurfaces every 27 years, he spends a year tormenting and killing children (and some adults). It’s no coincidence that the most tragic historical events of Derry correlate with his return.

We know that the prequel series isn’t going as far back as the settlers’ time period, but it does imply that this shape-shifting creature that feeds on fear has had centuries of practice before the 1960s origin story. The show might even delve into (or at least reference) some of the other tragedies that happened before 1960, such as the Easter Sunday explosion of 1906, or the gang war shootout from the 30s. Perhaps the evil entity that is Pennywise has to select a new host every now and then to do his bidding, similar to how he sent the adult Henry Bowers (Teach Grant) after the Losers Club in IT Chapter Two.

Who Is Making 'Welcome to Derry'?

The-Flash-Andy-Muschietti-Barbara-Muschietti

Andy Muschietti will return to direct several of the episodes and is joined in the writer’s room by his sister, Barbara Muschietti, as well as co-showrunners Jason Fuchs (Wonder Woman), and Brad Caleb Kane (Extinction). All four of them will also serve as executive producers on the series alongside Roy Lee (Barbarian), Dan Lin (Godzilla vs. Kong), and Shelley Meals (Shadow and Bones).

When and Where Did 'Welcome to Derry' Film?

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Production for Welcome to Derry began in Toronto and Port Hope in May 2023 and initially was planned to go through December. Andy Muschietti shared a post on Instagram on May 7, 2023, confirming that filming had begun.

However, filming was suspended in July 2023 due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes. Production is scheduled to resume in early 2024.