Bill Skarsgård is back for more haunts as Pennywise the Clown. The actor has officially joined Max’s new prequel series Welcome to Derry, reprising the role he played in the 2017 films It and It: Chapter Two.
Per Deadline, Welcome to Derry is set for release in 2025 and will land on Max. The prequel series takes place in the 1960s before the events of the film and features the origin story of Pennywise the Clown, who would go on to terrorize the town of Derry for decades to come.
Skarsgård joins previously announced cast members Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, and James Remar. In addition to continuing his collaborative streak with Stephen King material after starring in Castle Rock from 2018-2019, Skarsgård is reuniting with Andy Muschietti, who directed both It films, as well as producers Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs. The series is produced by Warner Bros. Television.
Max originally ordered Welcome to Derry to series in February 2023. Of the new series, the Muschiettis said in a statement, “As teenagers, we took turns reading chapters of Stephen King’s It until the thick paperback fell to pieces. 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.”
Bill Skarsgård has a busy year in horror and dark fantasy ahead of him — he’ll headline the upcoming remake of Nosferatu as the creepy Count Orlok, and will star alongside FKA Twigs in the new adaptation of The Crow. Skarsgård also just starred in the post-apocalyptic action romp, Boy Kills World.