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He’s back! It's official, after previously stating he is not involved, Bill Skarsgård will reprise his role as Pennywise the Clown in HBO’s upcoming IT spin-off series based on Stephen King’s hit novel and its 2017 and 2019 movies.
According to Deadline, Skarsgård is set to star in and executive produce the HBO Max show which will serve as a prequel to the newer movie adaptations. The show currently has a working title Welcome to Derry.
The actor is reprising the title role as the shapeshifting, demonic clown that he played in the hit movie IT and its sequel IT: Chapter Two, which brought to life King’s iconic 1986 novel. Set in Derry, Maine, the first movie follows a group of kids known as the Losers Club who battle against a child-eating demon who takes the shape of a clown. The second movie revisits the group 27 years later after the clown is resurrected and sees the group return to Derry to defeat Pennywise once again.
To fan's delight, HBO later shared the news themselves on Twitter writing, "Just when you thought your nightmares were over… Bill Skarsgård has been cast in the Max Original Series Welcome to Derry (working title), reprising his role as Pennywise from It and It Chapter Two."
The series also sees Skarsgård reuniting with other team members from the movies such as director Andy Muschietti, producer Barbara Muschietti, and co-producer Jason Fuchs, who have developed the story for the TV adaptation based on King's novel. Andy Muschietti will direct four episodes of the nine-episode series.
An official synopsis for the series has not yet been revealed, but we do know that it will be set in the ‘60s and lead up to the events of the first film which was set in 1998. We presume as the clown famously surfaces every 27 years, that the series will take place during the year 1961 and explore Pennywise’s previous reign of terror before he met the Losers Club.
Alongside Skarsgård, the cast includes Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, and James Remar.
Welcome to Derry is expected to hit HBO Max sometime in 2025. For more, check out our list of the best horror movies, or keep up to date with new TV shows coming your way.
