Stephen King‘s It universe is coming back to the small screen in a prequel series for HBO Max. The cable network noted that Andy Muschietti — the director behind a pair of blockbuster recent It movies — will shepherd the show tentatively titled Welcome to Derry along with his sister Barbara, who co-produced the films centering on the terrifying Pennywise the Clown.
As its working title suggests, the show will be set in Derry, the spooky town in which King’s original book and the films were set.
In an announcement, Sarah Aubrey, HBO Max’s head of original content noted, “We are thrilled to continue this iconic franchise,” calling the Muschettis “brilliant.” The show will “expand the It storytelling canvas and bring fans deeper into the terrifying, mesmerizing town of Derry,” she promised.
For their part, the Muschiettis exclaimed, “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.”
King noted, “I’m excited that the story of Derry, Maine’s most haunted city, is continuing.”
It was first made into a two-part miniseries for ABC in 1990, with Tim Curry playing the kid-snatching clown.
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