HBO's IT: Welcome to Derry Prequel Series Premieres with New Pennywise Take

The HBO series IT: Welcome to Derry serves as a prequel to the recent IT films, set in 1962 during one of Pennywise the Clown's violent cycles in the cursed town of Derry, Maine. Executive producer Andy Muschietti explained that Pennywise's presence is deliberately limited in the first half of the series to build suspense and expectation, with a more prominent appearance later on, reflecting the character's unpredictability and shapeshifting nature. The show maintains continuity with the tone and style of the films, featuring a mostly new cast except for Bill Skarsgård reprising his role as Pennywise. Andy Muschietti also revealed that a deleted origin scene from the 2017 film depicted Pennywise's influence in the 1700s, adding to the mystery around the character's origins. The series has been praised by Stephen King himself as "amazing" and "terrifying," promising to deliver strong horror elements while expanding the IT universe. The production's dedication to quality is evident in aspects like the carefully crafted opening credits, underscoring a commitment to replicating the emotional impact and style of the films in a serialized format.