{"id":282420,"date":"2026-01-13T18:34:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T18:34:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/282420\/"},"modified":"2026-01-13T18:34:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T18:34:08","slug":"bill-skarsgard-was-reluctant-to-return-for-it-welcome-to-derry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/282420\/","title":{"rendered":"Bill Skarsgard was reluctant to return for It: Welcome to Derry"},"content":{"rendered":"

The HBO and HBO Max TV series\u00a0It:\u00a0Welcome to Derry, which serves as a prequel to Warner Bros\u2019 two-part adaptation of the classic\u00a0Stephen King<\/a>\u00a0novel\u00a0It\u00a0(pick up a copy\u00a0HERE<\/a>),\u00a0recently wrapped up its first season run, giving fans an opportunity to see Bill Skarsg\u00e5rd reprise the role of the evil supernatural clown Pennywise\u2026 but during an interview with Screen Rant<\/a>, Skarsg\u00e5rd admitted that he was initially reluctant to agree to return for the TV series.<\/p>\n

Creative Team<\/p>\n

Brad Caleb Kane (Tokyo Vice) and Jason Fuchs (Wonder Woman), who was a co-producer on\u00a0It: Chapter Two,\u00a0are the showrunners on\u00a0It: Welcome to Derry\u00a0(and Kane recently signed on to be showrunner on the\u00a0Friday the 13th\u00a0series\u00a0Crystal Lake<\/a>\u00a0as well.) The show is being executive produced by\u00a0Andy Muschietti\u00a0and Barbara Muschietti, the sibling director\/producer duo that was behind the two\u00a0It\u00a0movies, through their production company Double Dream. Kane and Fuchs are also executive producing, as are Shelley Meals, Roy Lee, and Dan Lin. The series is produced by HBO Max and Warner Bros. Television.<\/p>\n

Fuchs wrote the script for the first episode, working from a story he crafted with the Muschiettis.\u00a0Andy Muschietti has directed four episodes of the nine-episode series.<\/p>\n

Stephen King had this to say about the series when it was first announced: \u201cI\u2019m excited that the story of Derry, Maine\u2019s most haunted city, is continuing, and I\u2019m glad Andy Muschietti is going to be overseeing the frightening festivities, along with a brain trust including his talented sister, Barbara. Red balloons all around!\u201c The Muschiettis added, \u201cAs teenagers, we took turns reading chapters of Stephen King\u2019s\u00a0It\u00a0until the thick paperback fell to pieces.\u00a0It\u00a0is an epic story that contains multitudes, far beyond what we could explore in our\u00a0It\u00a0movies. We can\u2019t wait to share the depths of Steve\u2019s novel, in all its heart, humor, humanity, and horror.\u201c<\/p>\n

Cast<\/p>\n

The cast of\u00a0Welcome to Derry\u00a0includes Taylour Paige (Zola), Jovan Adepo (Watchmen), Chris Chalk (Perry Mason), James Remar (Dexter), Madeleine Stowe (Revenge), Stephen Rider (Daredevil), Alixandra Fuchs\u00a0(Hatfields & McCoys),\u00a0Kimberly Guerrero\u00a0(The English),\u00a0Dorian Grey\u00a0(Star Trek: Discovery),\u00a0Thomas Mitchell\u00a0(Gangland Undercover),\u00a0BJ Harrison\u00a0(Family Law),\u00a0Peter Outerbridge\u00a0(Saw VI),\u00a0Shane Marriott\u00a0(Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent),\u00a0<\/strong>Chad Rook\u00a0(Billy the Kid),\u00a0Joshua Odjick\u00a0(Little Bird), Rudy Mancuso (M\u00fasica), and\u00a0Morningstar Angeline\u00a0<\/strong>(Westworld).\u00a0 As mentioned, Bill Skarsg\u00e5rd was in there as Pennywise.<\/p>\n

We have heard that the plan is for the show to last three seasons, which each one going further into the past. The first season is set in 1962, the second season will be set in 1935, and the third season in 1908. Warner Bros. is reportedly happy with the first season and wants to start production on season 2 as soon as possible.<\/p>\n

Reluctance<\/p>\n

While speaking to Screen Rant, Skarsg\u00e5rd said that he had a lot of fun working on It: Welcome to Derry, but had been reluctant to sign on for the show because he was worried that, after the success of the two movies, this might be an attempt to \u201cmilk this one out with a TV show\u201d that might not live up to its predecessors. Thankfully, it all worked out, as \u201cI feel that, in the end, we explored some parts of Pennywise that we hadn\u2019t seen before or hadn\u2019t done. Andy and I always have fun together, and I think that we did those aspects of it. Even with Pennywise\u2019s performance, there was like, \u2018Okay, here\u2019s a juicy scene, and you see something else from Pennywise, or more of him.\u2019 I had fun with those scenes, for sure.\u201c<\/p>\n

Are you glad that Bill Skarsg\u00e5rd ended up agreeing to return for It: Welcome to Derry? Share your thoughts on this show by leaving a comment below. JoBlo\u2019s own Alex Maidy gave\u00a0It: Welcome to Derry\u00a0an 8\/10 review that you can read at\u00a0THIS LINK<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"JoBlo<\/p>\n

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