HBO’s upcomingITprequel,It: Welcome to Derry, will unveil the mysterious origins of the villainous, shapeshifting clown, shedding light on how It became Pennywise. Stephen King created one of the best villains of all time when he wrote the 1986 horror novelIT. Whether it be Tim Curry’s version orBill Skarsgård’s version of Pennywise, the clown has haunted the nightmares of many a fan. Part of what makes It so terrifying is the mysterious nature of the creature.
However, HBO’s upcoming TV show will pull back the curtain in an exciting way.Screen Rantwas present at theIt: Welcome to Derrypanel atSan Diego Comic-Con2025, whereAndy and Barbara Muschietti promised to unveil the origins of Pennywise in the terrifying prequel showIt: Welcome to Derry, which will debut in October 2025.
They discussed their process of collaborating with Stephen King on the TV show. The iconic horror author supported them in exploring the cycles of the clown, honing in on the interludes from the book. They emphasized that the show would lean into the lore of Pennywise established in theStephen King bookwhile also expanding it in new ways.
Andy Muschietti said this:
“How did It become Pennywise. It’s one of the mysteries in the book. They mention this character called Bob Gray. So the conversations were about that and how do we tell the story…[We’re] always respectful– there’s a line. Some mysteries remain. Some mysteries are created.”
What This Means For It: Welcome To Derry
It: Welcome To Derry Might Delve Into The Macroverse
The shapeshifting clown alien has a fascinating backstory in theITbook, and it’s exciting to know that some of that will be brought to the screen inIt: Welcome to Derry. The Muschiettis’ITfilm duology largely avoided delving into thecomplex history of Pennywiseand of the macroverse. They completely left out the grudge between It and Maturin, which plays a big role in the Losers Club’s battle against Pennywise in the Stephen King novel.
They alsobriefly referenced Bob Gray inIT: Chapter Two, but they didn’t even mention his name or provide an explanation of who he is. Since Andy Muschietti specifically mentioned the character, they will hopefully rectify the oversight from the movies. They could also confirm the popular theory that Bob Gray was a clown who became a victim of Pennywise.
Our Take On It: Welcome To Derry Revealing Pennywise’s Origin Story
As a fan of Stephen King’sIT, it’s exciting to think that the prequel TV show will delve into the expansive world that the author set up. However, it’s good that the Muschiettis still plan to keep some degree of mystery. It’s good to keep audiences intrigued.
Additionally, at the SDCC 2025 panel, they emphasized thatIt: Wecome to Derrywill be just as terrifying as theITmovies. I think this is extremely important to the success of the show. Considering the mystery contributed to Pennywise’s fear factor, It: Welcome to Derry will need to prove that he’s just as scary with a known backstory as he was before.
