HBO Max has chosen Jason Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane to head up its forthcoming IT prequel, Welcome to Derry, with Andy and Barbara Muschietti producing.
The IT franchise centers around the cursed town of Derry, Maine, and the children who grew up in its confines after escaping the predatory and sinister villain Pennywise, played expertly in the past two films by Bill Skarsgard. The films collectively grossed over $1.1 billion at the box office after their release and are considered one of the top successful horror films of the past several years.
According to Variety, Welcome to Derry will serve as a prequel to the recent films. While exact details are closely guarded, many speculate that the series will delve further into the history of Derry and its tormentor Pennywise the Clown, which was hinted at in both the previous films and King's novel. Fuchs is credited for writing the teleplay of the first episode in the upcoming series along with the Muschiettis. Andy Muschietti directed both of the recent films with his wife Barbara producing under their Double Dream production banner. Fuchs is known for his work on the screenplays of recent films like Wonder Woman, Pan, and I Still See You. Kane's recent work includes writing for Moonhaven and Tokyo Vice.
HBO Max has also given the IT prequel a series production commitment. The widely anticipated prequel series comes on the heels of great success for the past two IT installments based on Stephen King's 1986 novel of the same name, IT: Chapter One (2017) and IT: Chapter Two (2019). Popular since its best-selling release, the book spawned another multi-part mini-series in the 1990s starring Tim Curry, as well as a recent documentary Pennywise: The Story of It (2021).
With proven writers on the job, Welcome to Derry will likely build much excitement, given the fervour of horror and Steven King fans, as well as the success of shows like Castle Rock that take King's subject matter and run with it. The series prequel format for established film franchises has proven to be a win for various networks as well, with shows like AMC's Bates Motel and Peacock's upcoming Friday the 13th prequel series, Crystal Lake, proving that audiences love to dig deeper into their favorite horror mythologies.
The enduring popularity of King's novel and its dual storyline persists, and while it may not be King's best, IT is certainly one his lengthiest and rife with interesting lore and backstory that will provide excellent fodder for the new series.
Welcome to Derry will be released as an HBO Max exclusive.
Source: Variety