Andy Muschietti‘s two “IT” films from 2017 and 2019 brought Stephen King‘s 1986 epic horror novel to the big screen for the first time. Now Muschietti will develop the franchise even further. Deadline reports that the director teams up with HBO Max, Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs for “Welcome To Derry,” an upcoming drama series that serves as a prequel to his films.
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Plot details are slim for the series, as HBO Max only just greenlit it, but it expands the story of both “IT” and “IT: Chapter Two” by exploring the sordid history of Derry, the fictional Maine town where the films take place. And the series has the well wishes of King himself. “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 in a press statement. “Red balloons all around!”
Fuchs will write the script for the show’s first episode from a story by him and the Muschiettis. Fuchs also serves as co-showrunner on the project with Brad Caleb Kane. All four serve as executive producers on the series through the Muschiettis’ Double Dream banner. Muschietti will also direct several episodes of the series, including the pilot.
“As teenagers, we took turns reading chapters of Stephen King’s “IT” until the thick paperback fell to pieces,” said Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti in a joint 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.” Fuchs had a comment of his own: “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.”
With “Welcome To Derry” now on the way, the question remains: will Bill Skårsgard return to reprise his role as Pennywise the Clown? No word on that yet, but what’s a show about Derry, Maine’s dark history without its hometown hero, er, villain?