Bill Skarsgård 'not currently involved' in Pennywise prequel
Bill Skarsgård says he is 'not currently involved' in the HBO Max Pennywise prequel, 'Welcome to Derry' in a new interview.
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TV News: Not It - Bill Skarsgård 'not currently involved' in Pennywise prequel Update: He's BACK! Welcome to Derry on HBO MAX
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No, It Isn’t Coming After the Derry Girls
HBO Max’s It prequel series Welcome to Derry has welcomed its first cast members.
www.vulture.com
No, It Isn’t Coming After the Derry Girls
By Wolfgang Ruth, who runs Vulture's Twitter and writes about culture
It — not to be confused with “the thing.” Photo: Brooke Palmer/Warner Bros.
In RuPaul’s voice: Bill Skarsgård, gurl, your clown runway didn’t make us honk, and it was not sewer-chic. I’m sorry, my dear, but
Never seen it
Interesting
No, It Isn’t Coming After the Derry Girls
HBO Max’s It prequel series Welcome to Derry has welcomed its first cast members.
No, It Isn’t Coming After the Derry Girls
By Wolfgang Ruth, who runs Vulture's Twitter and writes about culture
It — not to be confused with “the thing.” Photo: Brooke Palmer/Warner Bros.
In RuPaul’s voice: Bill Skarsgård, gurl, your clown runway didn’t make us honk, and it was not sewer-chic. I’m sorry, my dear, butyou’re up for eliminationyou’re likely being recast in the HBO Max prequel series. A prequel series to the iconic Stephen King horror franchise, Welcome to Derry, has been ordered. (It’s a working title and not part of the DGU, a.k.a. Derry Girls Universe). “I’m excited that the story of Derry, Maine’s most haunted city, is continuing … Red balloons all around!” Stephen King said of the show. Per Variety, the cast so far includes Taylour Paige (Zola), Jovan Adepo (Babylon), Chris Chalk (Perry Mason), and James Remar (Oppenheimer). Andy and Barbara Muschietti are developing the series with Jason Fuchs, while Fuchs and Extinction’s Brad Caleb Kane will serve as co-showrunners. For now, specific plot and character details remain unknown. Spooky. As for some more “working titles,” how’s It: The Remix? It: Will Get Canceled After Season Two? Georgie Did the It (music by Ariana DeBose)? Or just Riverdale season seven.
’Welcome To Derry’ Season 1: Everything You Need To Know So Far
Stephen King’s Pennywise the Clown receives an origin story in ’Welcome To Derry,’ and here’s what we can expect from the series.
uproxx.com
‘It’ Prequel Series in the Works at HBO Max
A prequel to "It" is in development at HBO Max, Variety has learned.
variety.com
Bill Skarsgård to return as Pennywise on 'It' prequel series 'Welcome to Derry'
Bill Skarsgård isn't done clowning around: The Swedish actor is set to reprise his role as Pennywise, the killer clown from 'It' and 'It Chapter Two,' on the prequel series 'Welcome to Derry.'
Still didn’t see part 2
IT: Welcome to Derry exclusive first look confirms the Black Spot and other horrors of Derry history
Andy and Barbara Muschietti, the filmmakers behind the "It" movies, tell EW how the HBO horror-drama is inspired by Mike Hanlon's interludes in Stephen King's novel.
By Nick Romano
October 31, 2024
ew.com
Rudy Mancuso and Jovan Adepo in 'IT: Welcome to Derry'
Chris Chalk in 'IT: Welcome to Derry
Taylour Paige in 'IT: Welcome to Derry
Jovan Adepo in 'IT: Welcome to Derry'
A different generation of kids are plagued by the monster of 'IT: Welcome to Derry'
Taylour Paige and Jovan Adepo in 'IT: Welcome to Derry'
Stephen Rider in 'IT: Welcome to Derry'
Andy and Barbara Muschietti, the filmmakers behind the "It" movies, tell EW how the HBO horror-drama is inspired by Mike Hanlon's interludes in Stephen King's novel.
By Nick Romano
October 31, 2024
'IT: Welcome to Derry' exclusive first look confirms Black Spot, other horrors of Derry history
'IT: Welcome to Derry,' an HBO prequel series to the Stephen King horror classic, goes back to a dark era for the cursed Maine town with Pennywise and the Hanlon family. See EW's eight exclusive first-look photos.
Rudy Mancuso and Jovan Adepo in 'IT: Welcome to Derry'
Chris Chalk in 'IT: Welcome to Derry
Taylour Paige in 'IT: Welcome to Derry
Jovan Adepo in 'IT: Welcome to Derry'
A different generation of kids are plagued by the monster of 'IT: Welcome to Derry'
Taylour Paige and Jovan Adepo in 'IT: Welcome to Derry'
Stephen Rider in 'IT: Welcome to Derry'
It: Welcome To Derry
Official Teaser Trailer
Debuts Fall 2025
Official Teaser Trailer
Debuts Fall 2025
Maybe I’ll watch it this week
Welcome To Derry
Official Trailer
Debuts October 26, 2025
You were never meant to leave.
Official Trailer
Debuts October 26, 2025
You were never meant to leave.
It: Welcome To Derry
Final Trailer
Debuts October 26, 2025
This Welcome to Derry trailer features new clips of horror movie icon Pennywise not seen in the official It Welcome to Derry trailer.
Final Trailer
Debuts October 26, 2025
This Welcome to Derry trailer features new clips of horror movie icon Pennywise not seen in the official It Welcome to Derry trailer.
That was some crazy ass shit. lol
'It: Welcome to Derry' goes beyond a Pennywise origin story — and into America’s real horrors
Featuring Bill Skarsgård stepping back into the role of Pennywise, the upcoming HBO series It: Welcome to Derry (on Crave in Canada) expands the It universe created by Stephen King.
‘It: Welcome to Derry’ Hits 5.7 Million Viewers in Three Days, No. 3 HBO Max Premiere Ever
‘It: Welcome to Derry’ Hits 5.7 Million Viewers in Three Days, No. 3 HBO Max Premiere Ever
'It: Welcome to Derry' hit 5.7 million viewers in three days, achieving the No. 3 HBO Max premiere ever.
variety.com
“It: Welcome to Derry” hit 5.7 million viewers through in its first three days.
That total, a combination of Nielsen measurement of viewers on HBO’s linear channel and Warner Bros. Discovery’s own data regarding streams on HBO Max, puts the horror series in third place when compared to all other series premieres since HBO Max was launched. Only “House of the Dragon” and “The Last of Us” outrank it, according to WBD. (The company did not provide three-day totals to make comparisons with, though “House of the Dragon” premiered with just under 10 million viewers and “The Last of Us” premiered with 4.7 million viewers, both measured in just one day.)…
Every Stephen King Easter egg you may have missed in
The HBO Max series is brimming with references to King's vast literary universe.By
Randall Colburn
Randall Colburn
Randall Colburn is a writer and editor at Entertainment Weekly. His work has previously appeared on The A.V. Club, The Guardian, The Ringer, and many other publications.
EW's editorial guidelines
October 31, 2025 5:14 p.m. ET
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1
Chris Chalk as Dick Hallorann on 'IT: Welcome to Derry'.Credit:
Brooke Palmer/HBO
Like the malevolent clown dancing in its dark heart, IT: Welcome to Derry is a strange creature.
The series is technically a prequel to 2017's IT and 2019's IT Chapter Two, which were adapted from Stephen King's 1986 epic novel about Derry, Maine, a small town being terrorized by an ancient, child-devouring evil that surfaces every 27 years. According to co-creator Andy Muschietti, who also directed the films, Welcome to Derry will adapt the book's various interludes, which dig deep into Derry's violent history and how its namesake creature factors into it.
And while that's true, the show is also its own beast, deviating greatly from King's story by weaving in military intrigue, spycraft, and Native American mythology. That gives the creative team ample freedom to flesh out their vision of Derry, all while paying tribute to the breadth of King's vast oeuvre, which, by virtue of the author's penchant for cross-pollination, lends itself to Easter eggs.
What an Easter egg is, exactly, is up for interpretation. But for the purposes of this piece, we're focusing on direct and oblique references to the book IT and King's work in general. Also, for the sake of clarity, we'll be calling the story's nameless shapeshifter Pennywise, the leering clown that often serves as its painted face.
Below are all of the Stephen King Easter eggs in Welcome to Derry. Be sure to bookmark this piece, as we'll be updating it after each new episode.
01of 02
Episode 1: 'The Pilot'
Bert the Turtle in 'IT: Welcome to Derry' episode 1.
HBO
- The surname of Leroy Hanlon (Jovan Adepo) will be familiar to fans of both the novel and its adaptations, as it's shared by Mike, a key member of the Losers' Club who goes on to become the town's librarian (and the researcher of the interludes on which Welcome to Derry is based). An older version of Leroy (played by Steven Williams) is seen in Muschietti's IT films showing Mike (Chosen Jacobs) the ropes at his abattoir.
- Fans may also recognize the surname of Teddy Uris (Mikkal Karim-Fidler), the broccoli-haired pre-teen who features heavily in episode 1. Stan Uris (played by Wyatt Oleff and Andy Bean in the films) is among the most ill-fated members of the Losers' Club. Considering what happens to Teddy at the end of episode 1, it's likely his brother, not him, who is Stan's father.
'It: Welcome to Derry' star Stephen Rider initially lost out on Mike Hanlon movie role
- We don't spend much time with him in episode 1, but the Black soldier seen with Leroy at the Derry military base is Dick Hallorann (Chris Chalk). Hallorann is best known from The Shining, in which he teaches a young Danny Torrance to use his psychic gift. The character also appears briefly in IT's first interlude, though it's clear his role will be expanded on in this series.
- One of the more curious elements of IT is Maturin the turtle, a cosmic being that essentially serves as a benevolent counterpart to the evil in Derry. Maturin hasn't been portrayed in any adaptations yet — it would be very difficult to pull off — but is often referenced. Welcome to Derry is no exception, with the school's mascot being Bert the Turtle. We also see Matty (Miles Ekhardt) give Lilly (Clara Stack) a toy turtle, and she responds by saying, "Turtles are lucky."
A bloody finger rising from the drain on 'IT: Welcome to Derry'.
HBO
- After Lilly hears the voice of missing Matty coming up through her bathtub drain, she shrieks when one of his bloody fingers reaches up through it. This may or may not be a reference to "The Moving Finger," a short story collected in King's 1993 book Nightmares & Dreamscapes. In that story, a man is haunted by a long, multi-jointed finger rising from his bathroom sink.
- Eagle-eyed viewers will see a Creature From the Black Lagoon poster in Phil's (Jack Molloy Legault) room. In the book, the scaly Creature is among the many forms Pennywise takes when terrorizing its victims.
"Alvin Marsh," reads bathroom graffiti in 'IT: Welcome to Derry'.
HBO
- During a scene between Lilly and Marge (Matilda Lawler) in the school bathroom, the name "Alvin Marsh" is seen written inside a heart on the wall. Alvin Marsh is the name of the abusive father of the Losers' Club's Beverly Marsh (played by Sophia Lillis and Jessica Chastain in the films).
- This one might be pushing it, but Teddy is notably seen reading a Clayface comic book. For one, Clayface is, like Pennywise, a shapeshifter. Secondly, DC Studios' upcoming Clayface film was written by Mike Flanagan, who has directed multiple Stephen King adaptations, including Gerald's Game, Doctor Sleep, and the upcoming Carrie series for Amazon.
02of 02
Episode 2: 'The Thing in the Dark'
Peter Outerbridge as Clint Bowers in 'IT: Welcome to Derry' episode 2.
HBO
- This episode offers a look at how the U.S. military is attempting to leverage Hallorann's "gifts," a.k.a. the shining, to help track down Pennywise's lair.
- Juniper Hill, the mental hospital where Lilly is taken at episode's end, appears in numerous King books, including IT. (In the book, one of the guards is named John Koontz, a supposed dig at author Dean Koontz, one of King's contemporaries.)
- Derry's police chief is named Clint Bowers (Peter Outerbridge), another name that should ring a bell with Constant Readers. Henry Bowers is the local punk who relentlessly bullies the Losers' Club and later falls under the spell of Pennywise. Henry's dad, Butch, was portrayed as a cop in Muschietti's films, and we're guessing Clint is his father.
A sign announcing the building of a Paul Bunyan statue on 'IT: Welcome to Derry'.
HBO
- A great deal of hubbub is being made over the installation of a Paul Bunyan statue in Derry. That statue, as fans of both the book and IT Chapter Two know, will be used to terrifying effect by Pennywise.
- Lilly is seen drinking a Fizz-A-La soda. A fictional soda brand in King's work is Nozz-A-La.
- This episode marks the first appearance of Secondhand Rose, Secondhand Clothes, a thrift store featured in several King stories. In IT Chapter Two, King himself played the store's proprietor.
- Is this an Easter egg? Maybe? Well, the man Charlotte (Taylour Paige) sees outside the drugstore in downtown Derry looks very much like a younger Norbert Keene, the creepy pharmacist the Losers encounter in the films.
Larry Day as Stan Kersh on 'IT: Welcome to Derry'.
HBO
- The butcher Charlotte meets is named Stan Kersh (Larry Day). Kersh is also the name of the elderly woman (?) Beverly finds living in her old home when she returns to Derry as an adult.
- In detention, "Mike loves Christine" is written on the chalkboard. How can we not think of the 1958 Plymouth Fury at the center of King's 1983 novel Christine?
Where can I watch IT: Welcome to Derry?
IT: Welcome to Derry streams on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO Max.
Anyone else seen it yet,
Now that Bears over, may check it out. I think episode 3 is out tonight,
so i'll watch 1-3
uh oh, I see some reviews..
I hate parallel story telling. Is this true?
Anyone else seen it yet,
Now that Bears over, may check it out. I think episode 3 is out tonight,
so i'll watch 1-3
uh oh, I see some reviews..
The problem with these reviews is people are watching it week to week with each episode.
Everything is not gonna be explained within 15 minutes of the premiere episode.
Lots of folks who give negative reviews early in series, good chance they suffer from TV ADHD.
You gotta let the story build up.
I suffer from TV ADHD, I can’t watch these series one episode at a time, so I wait until after the season finale and binge it.
It makes viewing easier for my nerves.
HaHa!!!
It's good. I've watched both episodes twice because I usually miss something. Don't let these reviews fool you. I saw someone complain that a leading character died in the first episode. They weren't a lead character if they died in the first episode.Anyone else seen it yet,
Now that Bears over, may check it out. I think episode 3 is out tonight,
so i'll watch 1-3
uh oh, I see some reviews..
