Madeleine Stowe and Stephen Rider have joined previously cast Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, and James Remar in Max’s Original series ‘Welcome to Derry.’ Stowe will have a recurring guest role while Rider is a series regular.
The exact plot and all the character details are being kept under wraps, but the official logline states that the series is based on King’s “It” novel. Welcome to Derry (working title) expands the Stephen King “It” universe particulary established by filmmaker Andy Muschietti in the feature films “It” and “It Chapter Two.”
“Welcome to Derry” was ordered to series in February and was developed for television by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs. Fuchs is writing the teleplay for the first episode of the series, based on a story by him and the Muschiettis. Andy will also direct multiple episodes, including the first. Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane are co-showrunners and executive producers, with the Muschiettis also executive producing via their Double Dream production company. Shelley Meals, Roy Lee, and Dan Lin also executive produce.
Andy directed both of the new “It” films, with Barbara having produced them. Fuchs was a co-producer on “It: Chapter Two.”
The “It” franchise is based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name, which tells the story of a group of friends who are terrorized by a shapeshifting entity that takes the form of a clown named Pennywise. The novel was first published in 1986 and has since become a classic horror novel, with several adaptations for film and television.
The first adaptation of the novel was a two-part miniseries that aired on ABC in 1990. The series starred Tim Curry as Pennywise and received critical acclaim for its faithful adaptation of the novel and for Curry’s performance.
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In 2017, the franchise was rebooted with the release of the film “It,” directed by Andy Muschietti. The film starred Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise and introduced a new cast of young actors as the members of the Losers’ Club, the group of friends who battle Pennywise. The film was a critical and commercial success, grossing over $700 million at the global box office.
A sequel, “It Chapter Two,” was released in 2019 and continued the story 27 years after the events of the first film. The sequel featured a new cast of adult actors playing the members of the Losers’ Club, including James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, and Bill Hader. The film was also a box office success, grossing over $470 million worldwide.
With such a successful track record, it’s no wonder that the “It” franchise is expanding to a new project. “Welcome to Derry” promises to expand on the world established in the previous films, delving even deeper into the twisted and terrifying universe of Stephen King’s imagination. With an impressive cast and talented crew behind the scenes, this prequel series is sure to be a hit with horror fans and fans of the “It” franchise alike. Fans can look forward to more updates as production continues and the release date draws closer.
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