Posted in: HBO, Movies, TV | Tagged: it: welcome to derry

It: Welcome to Derry EPs Have Multi-Season Plan in Mind; New Images

It: Welcome to Derry EP Andy Muschietti on the series' multi-season plan and the series opening's "big, graphic, and shocking conclusion."

With only a little more than a week to go until the prequel to bestselling author Stephen King's "It" universe and the feature films hits HBO screens, we're getting some new insights into what filmmakers Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti (It, It Chapter Two), and Showrunners Jason Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane, have planned for It: Welcome to Derry. Before we jump to the new image gallery that was released, we have two highlights from a recent interview Deadline Hollywood conducted with the Muschiettis. Along with a ten-ton tease about an opening scene that packs a serious punch, Andy Muschietti makes it clear that they hope to explore Derry's history over the course of several seasons.

Andy Muschietti Teases Opener Will "Raise the Bar Higher in Terms of Shock Value": "We wanted to raise the bar higher in terms of shock value. It's about a self-imposed mandate of opening with an event that is shocking enough that you put the audience in a position where nothing is taken for granted, where nothing is safe in this world. You're immediately putting people on the edge of the seat. We needed a strong opening. One of the things I love about this scene is the build-up. Of course, it has a big, graphic, and shocking conclusion, but the build-up is something that was important."

"It: Welcome to Derry" Has a Multi-Season Plan: "There is an intentional bigger arc that will open. My intention with this was to create a story that is a little bit like an iceberg under the water all through Seasons 1, 2 and 3. There will be an expansion in the mythology and more answers to the big questions," Andy Muschietti explained. "The second season will be in 1935. At the end of Season 1, we are hinting at the reason why we are going to tell the story in two more seasons and backwards."

Here's a look back at the red band trailer that was released earlier this week (and also available to screen here, just in case):

Thanks to an interview with Radio TU, Andy Muschietti was able to offer some very interesting insights into how the series will be structured from a storytelling standpoint—the most detailed insights we've gotten so far—including how the series is set to be "told backward," with three seasons envisioned. "It's a story that's based on the interludes of the book. The interludes are basically chapters that reflect Mike Hanlon's research. They're fragments of his research. For 27 years, it's the guy trying to figure out what it is, what did it, who did it, who saw it, and all that stuff," Andy Muschietti shared (which you can check out below).

"So they talk about catastrophic events from the past, like the fire in the Black Spot…. the massacre of the Bradley Gang, a gang of bank robbers in the '30s… and the explosion of the Kitchener Ironworks. Every time [Pennywise] comes out of hibernation, there is a catastrophic event that happens at the beginning of that cycle." He added, "There's a reason why the story is told backwards. So the first season is 1962, the second season is 1935, and the third season is 1908."

It: Welcome to Derry No "G-Rated Pennywise": Skarsgard

While promoting his hit film Nosferatu, Bill Skarsgard checked in with Josh Horowitz for Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast – and that's when we were treated to some interesting insights into what led to his return to the role and what viewers can expect. With the conversation shifting to It: Welcome to Derry beginning at the 24:22 mark, Skarsgard shared with Horowitz that he felt that he had pretty much said what he needed to say about the character. Having filmed Nosferatu, Skarsgard viewed Nosferatu as "the nail in the coffin on my monster rolls – pun intended." But his personal and professional bond with Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti ("they're very close friends, family") would be the key to him considering another run as Pennywise.

"It was fun. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, actually, and there's parts of it where we got to explore sides um of old Pennywise that we haven't seen, you know? And that's fun," Skarsgard shared about working on the spinoff series. "I remembered how much I enjoy working with Andy and we do have a lot of fun together. I think there's some cool stuff in there that we haven't seen that I'm excited for you, the people, to watch and enjoy hopefully."

In terms of the level of horror and intensity, Horowitz followed up by asking if he was able to "go as far on television as you did in the films" – with Skarsgard offering a very promising response. "It's pretty hardcore, man. It's not the G-rated Pennywise. No, that would be a no; that would be a no," Skarsgard made clear, adding that it didn't take much for him to slip back into Pennywise's voice ("Yeah, he's there. He's just waiting.").

The streaming prequel series stars Taylour Paige (Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley), Jovan Adepo (Watchmen), Chris Chalk (Perry Mason), and James Remar (Oppenheimer). In addition, Alixandra Fuchs (Hatfields & McCoys), Kimberly Guerrero (The English), Dorian Grey (Star Trek: Discovery), Thomas Mitchell (Spiral), BJ Harrison (Family Law), Peter Outerbridge (Batwoman), Shane Marriott (Fargo), Chad Rook (Joe Pickett), Joshua Odjick (Little Bird) and Morningstar Angeline (Echo) have been tapped for recurring roles. In addition, Bill Skarsgard is reprising his role as the demonic clown Pennywise.

HBO's It: Welcome to Derry is produced by HBO Max and Warner Bros. Television. Fuchs will write the teleplay for the first episode, based on a story by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Fuchs. Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane will serve as co-showrunners on the project. Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti (through their Double Dream production company, which has an overall deal with Warner Bros Television), Fuchs, Kane, and Skarsgård are executive producers. Andy Muschietti will direct four episodes of the series, including the first one.

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