HBO Max has ordered Welcome to Derry, the prequel series to 2017’s It and 2019’s It Chapter Two, to series.
The series is being developed for television by Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti, who directed and produced both It films, respectively, as well as actor and screenwriter Jason Fuchs, who appeared as Richie’s manager in It Chapter Two. Fuchs is set as co-showrunner alongside Brad Caleb Kane.
Both Fuchs and Kane are also set to executive produce alongside Andy and Barbara Muschietti, with the latter two doing so through their Double Dream production company. Andy Muschietti will also direct multiple episodes of the series, including the series premiere.
Pertaining to the announcement, It author Stephen King stated, “I’m excited that the story of Derry, Maine’s most haunted city, is continuing, and I’m glad Andy Muschietti is going to be overseeing the frightening festivities, along with a brain trust including his talented sister, Barbara. Red balloons all around!”
“As teenagers, we took turns reading chapters of Stephen King’s It until the thick paperback fell to pieces,” Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti said. “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.”
“Set in the world of Stephen King’s It universe, Welcome to Derry (wt) is based on King’s It novel and expands the vision established by filmmaker Andy Muschietti in the feature films It and It Chapter Two,” reads the logline.
The new It films were a massive success at the box office, grossing over $1.1 billion combined globally following their release. It Chapter Two was the latest release and took place 27 years after the events of the first film. The sequel featured an entirely new cast that included Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan, James Ransone, and Andy Bean.
