"It" Prequel Series "Welcome to Derry" Delayed to 2025

Audiences will have to wait a little bit more to face Pennywise again, as HBO Max's upcoming “It” prequel series, “Welcome to Derry”, has been delayed to 2025. 

Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, stated that the series would come out later than expected due to the production hiatus they had to take because of the dual strike organized by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA. 

As soon as the performers' guild reaches a deal with the AMPTP, filming can resume on the new story featuring the scary clown viewers have come to know and hate for years.

"‘Welcome to Derry,’ we had had that scheduled for Halloween of 2024. That’s likely 2025,” Bloys said during a press event in New York.

“Welcome to Derry” was first announced in March 2022 and was ordered straight to series in February 2023. The series had been in production in early 2023 before it shut down in July due to the actors’ strike. 

Exact plot details are being kept under wraps, but the project also explores the origin story of Pennywise the Clown. 

“Welcome to Derry” is a prequel to the two movies — which are based on the Stephen King horror novel of the same name — and “expands the vision” of the movies. It will begin in the 1960s in the time leading up to the events of 2017's “It: Part One”.

The cast of the series includes Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Madeleine Stowe, and Stephen Rider.

The series was developed for television by "It" filmmakers Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti as well as Jason Fuchs.

Andy Muschietti, who directed “It: Part One” and 2019’s “It: Part Two”, is attached to executive produce the series along with Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs.

Fuchs is writing the first episode of the series, based on a story by him and the Muschiettis. Andy will also direct multiple episodes, including the first.

Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane serve as co-showrunners and executive producers, with the Muschiettis also executive producing via their Double Dream production company. Shelley Meals, Roy Lee, and Dan Lin also executive produce.

The series is produced by HBO Max and Warner Bros. Television, with Double Dream currently under an overall deal at WBTV.

The new “It” movies collectively grossed over $1.1 billion at the global box office upon their release. “It” was previously adapted into a two-part miniseries for ABC back in 1990, featuring Tim Curry as Pennywise.