Welcome to Derry takes place before the events of Stephen King's horror classic.
Bill Skarsgård looks set to return to his terrifying role as Pennywise in a new IT prequel series for Max, which he will also executive produce.
According to Deadline, the actor is reuniting with director Andy Muschietti and producers Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs for the nine-parter, which has been given the working title Welcome to Derry.
He previously played the role in the two-part film adaptation of Stephen King's classic horror novel back in 2017 and 2019, both of which were huge box office successes – with the opening instalment becoming the highest-grossing horror film of all time unadjusted for inflation.
The new series will expand that world with an original story by Muschietti, Muschietti and Fuchs, with the latter serving as showrunner alongside Brad Caleb Kane.
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Previous cast members announced for the show include Taylour Paige (Zola), Jovan Adepo (Babylon), Chris Chalk (Perry Mason) and James Remar (Oppenheimer), while there is also a recurring role for Madeleine Stowe (Revenge).
Although no exact plot details have been announced for the show so far, it is expected to take place in the 1960s and focus on Pennywise's backstory in the lead-up to the events of IT, incorporating several elements from the novel that didn't make it into the film.
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When the show was first announced back in 2023, King said: "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!"
Meanwhile, Andy Muschietti – who will direct four of the show's nine episodes – and Barbara Muschietti teased that the show would explore "the depths of Steve's novel, in all its heart, humour, humanity and horror".
Production on the show originally began in May last year, but was suspended due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes – which also meant that the initial 2024 release was pushed back to 2025, although no precise premiere date has been confirmed at this stage.
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Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
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