'Welcome to Derry': 'It' Prequel Series Faces 2025 Release Delay

Article Summary

Due to production delays caused by the strikes of the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA, audiences will have to wait until 2025 for the release of Welcome to Derry, the prequel series of It.

The series is set in the 1960s and delves into the feeding habits of Pennywise prior to the events depicted in the It films. It centers around a group of children who are tormented by the horrifying clown.

Although Bill Skarsgård will not return as Pennywise in the prequel, the cast will feature Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, and Taylour Paige. Production will restart once the labor strikes have been resolved.

The release of the prequel to the It film series, titled Welcome to Derry, has been postponed to 2025, causing audiences to wait longer before encountering Pennywise again. According to Casey Bloys, the chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, the delay is a result of a production hiatus caused by the dual strike organized by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA. Once an agreement is reached between the performers' guild and the AMPTP, filming can resume for the new story, which features the terrifying clown that viewers have grown to fear over the years.

The series will center around a group of children who are haunted by Pennywise prior to the events of the 2017 film directed by Andy Muschietti. It explores the cycle that allows the monster to once again terrorize the people of Derry. While it is known that the antagonist, created by Stephen King, will be the unstoppable force that the main cast must confront, it was previously reported that Bill Skarsgård will not be reprising the role he brought to life in Muschietti's two-part adaptation of the book.

The cast of Welcome to Derry features Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, and Taylour Paige, who find themselves becoming the latest victims of the creature that doesn't belong in this town. HBO announced the show as part of its efforts to expand the Max slate, and despite smooth progress in the development process, filming had to be halted due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. Once studios fulfill their commitment to fairly compensate their hardworking employees, production can resume, bringing the prequel closer to television screens worldwide.

When Does 'Welcome to Derry' Take Place?

Set in the 1960s, the upcoming prequel delves into Pennywise's eerie behavior as depicted in both the book and film adaptations of his chilling tale. The malevolent clown is known to resurface every twenty-seven years, and if he claimed the life of young Georgie in 1988, it means Welcome to Derry explores the earlier manifestations of his feeding cycle before the events witnessed in the movies. Long before targeting Beverly Marsh and Richie Tozier, Pennywise preyed upon the innocent children of Derry, cementing the town's belief in their cursed history.

Welcome to Derry is currently scheduled to premiere on Max in 2025.

Welcome to Derry

A prequel series to the It films.

Cast Rolando Davila-BeltranMain Genre HorrorGenres HorrorSeasons 1

Editor's P/S

As a passionate fan of the It franchise, I am both excited and disappointed by the news that the prequel series, Welcome to Derry, has been delayed until 2025. On one hand, I am thrilled that we will get to see more of the terrifying Pennywise and learn more about his origins. The 1960s setting is also an intriguing choice, as it will allow us to see how the town of Derry was affected by Pennywise's presence in the past.

On the other hand, I am disappointed that we will have to wait so long to see the series. The It films were both incredibly successful, and I am eager to see what the prequel series has in store. I am also concerned that the delay could lead to a loss of momentum for the franchise. However, I am confident that the wait will be worth it, and I am excited to see what Welcome to Derry has in store for us.