‘It’ Director Confirms Stephen King’s Involvement in ‘Welcome to Derry’

by

Andy Muschietti, who is recognized for directing the horror adaptations of both “It” chapters and the underappreciated “Mama”, will serve as the showrunner for the upcoming Stephen King miniseries titled “It: Welcome to Derry“. Despite it not being a direct adaptation of one of his books, based on Muschietti’s comments, we might be headed in the right direction.

Muschietti, who serves as both producer and director for four episodes of the series, discussed “Welcome to Derry” with Radio TU, revealing more about which stories will be explored in the show. Set in 1962, this series is a prequel to Muschietti’s film “It,” taking place 27 years prior to the events shown in the movie (a deviation from the first part of the original story in the book, which unfolds between 1957 and 1958). The storyline follows various townsfolk of Derry as they endure terror at the hands of an evil presence that emerges every 27 years to sustain itself.

The Derry-set series, drawing inspiration from Stephen King’s original work and featuring Bill Skarsgård reprising his role as Pennywise, doesn’t strictly follow King’s novel. Instead, as director Andy Muschietti explains, “the show delves into the interludes that Mike Hanlon is investigating in the book.” He further adds that the series is set during the Cold War era and the height of nuclear anxiety.

There’s concern about a potential nuclear disaster and its related issues such as genetic and radioactive abnormalities. Children are particularly afraid of the atomic bomb, and its consequences are closely tied to this fear.

How Involved Is Stephen King in ‘It: Welcome to Derry’?

The showrunner mentioned that Stephen King played a significant role during the making of the series. Typically, he serves as a consultant on his own adaptations, and he has preferences among them. He was deeply immersed in “It,” even appearing in a cameo for “It: Chapter Two.” Director Muschietti confirmed that King also contributed to the creative process for “It: Welcome to Derry.

In a more casual manner than usual, I found that Stephen King didn’t require as much formality this time around. Over the years, I’ve developed a close bond with Stephen King, especially since I was involved in adapting his works into movies. We communicate regularly, exchanging letters back and forth. It’s an honor for me to interact with him, and I consider him a dear friend.

One time, I penned a letter to him expressing an idea: creating transitions for a mini-series set prior to the film’s events. To my delight, he appreciated it wholeheartedly. His response was enthusiastic: “Let’s make it happen!

As we moved forward, we continually presented our work to him, and he gave his approval for the initial version of the script. Later, we showed him our plans for the subsequent seasons of the series. He has faith in us due to the success of the films we produced, which both he and the audience adored alike.

Muschietti hinted at the possibility of King making a brief appearance, although he clarified that the author himself won’t be in the scene. Instead, a younger incarnation of the antique shop owner from “It: Chapter Two” will appear. Furthermore, the director mentioned that HBO is enthusiastic about Season 1 and is eager to commence filming for Season 2 immediately.

Read More

2025-01-09 20:04