By Josh Bate
The two It films have been some of Warner Bros.’ major success stories in the past few years, with the first outing defying all projections to earn over $700 million worldwide. The popularity was immense, turning Pennywise the clown into even more of a phenomenon after Tim Curry’s iconic portrayal in the 90’s. It: Chapter Two capitalized on this success, earning over $400 million and casting A-list stars like Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy to the project.
Given that these two films alone earned the studio over $1.1 billion at the worldwide box office, it makes sense that Warner Bros. would want to continue the story of the Stephen King world, and new rumors suggest that this is exactly what they are going to do.
According to The Ankler, a new series titled Welcome to Derry is in development at HBO Max, which will be a prequel to the It films and show the beginnings of Pennywise and the town’s 27 year curse that plagues the Maine town. It: Chapter Two hinted at times of the origins of the villain, but the focus remains on the adult versions of the characters rather than diving into the lore. Now, it seems fans will get answers to these questions in the form of this HBO Max series.
Warner Bros. have been diving into the works of Stephen King a lot recently, having made Doctor Sleep, a sequel to The Shining. There was even an Overlook Hotel prequel series in development with JJ Abrams attached as a producer, but HBO eventually passed on the project in a surprising move to reject a spinoff of one of their more famous IP’s.
Images courtesy of Warner Bros