Word arrived last year that Warner Bros. was looking to keep theIT terror train rolling by developing a prequel TV series called Welcome To Derry, which had the movies' director Andy Muschietti involved. Things have moved on apace, and allied cable channel HBO has made the series order official.
The series will – as the "prequel" bit suggests — follow events before 2017's IT, which along with its sequel, It: Chapter 2 adapted Stephen King's novel, featuring terrifying creature Pennywise who haunts the kids of Derry, Maine.
Muschietti will kick off the series directing multiple episodes while sister Barbara will produce. Jason Fuchs has written the initial script (based on an idea he developed with the Muschiettis) and is on to act as co-showrunner alongside Brad Caleb Kane.
"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," says King. "Red balloons all around!"
"As teenagers, we took turns reading chapters of Stephen King’s IT until the thick paperback fell to pieces," said Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti in a joint statement. "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."
Fuchs, who did some uncredited script polishing on Chapter 2 and also appeared in a small role, says, "To be able to return to the world of my all-time favorite horror novel and help build upon the singularly brilliant cinematic universe created by Andy and Barbara is more than the opportunity of a lifetime, it’s a dream come true – or, maybe more appropriately, a nightmare."