Coming soon from HBO Max, the series “Welcome to Derry” will serve as an official prequel to the two Stephen King-based IT movies from Andy Muschietti, and Deadline brings us the first casting news tonight. Taylour Paige (Zola), Jovan Adepo (“Watchmen”), Chris Chalk (“Perry Mason”), and James Remar (Oppenheimer) will star, Deadline reports.
The site notes, “Their character details have yet to be revealed.”
Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs are on board the Pennywise prequel project from Warner Bros. Television, with Muschietti set to direct several episodes.
Variety had reported last year, “The series will begin in the 1960s in the time leading up to the events of It: Part One, the 2017 film based on the Stephen King horror novel. The story is also said to include the origin story of Pennywise the Clown.”
Jason Fuchs (Wonder Woman, Ice Age: Continental Drift) and Brad Caleb Kane (“Moonhaven,” “Black Sails,” “Fringe”) will serve as co-showrunners for the prequel series.
Published in 1986, Stephen King’s massive novel was of course first turned into a mini-series in 1990, with Tim Curry playing the role later played by Bill Skarsgård in the movies.
The tale centers on the town of Derry, Maine, where a group of friends called the Losers’ Club battle Pennywise the killer clown first as kids, and then 27 years later as adults.
James Remar in ‘Black Lightning’ (2017)