Summary
Bill Skarsgård’s return in Welcome to Derry solidifies the show as an essential part of the It franchise.
Without Skarsgård, the prequel would have struggled to connect with the original films and recasting Pennywise would have been tough.
Expect a mix of old and new with Pennywise in Welcome to Derry, but rest assured, Skarsgård will make him scarier than ever.
Bill Skarsgård is reprising his role as the killer clown Pennywise in the It prequel show, Welcome to Derry, which is great news, as Skarsgård’s return cancels out two big problems for the HBO series. Though it has been five years since the end of the It film franchise, the Stephen King horror story isn’t over yet, as a new cast takes on the prequel story of a group of kids terrorized by Pennywise in Stephen King’s cursed Derry during the 1960s. Despite being a completely new story, the Welcome to Derry show is made stronger by Skarsgård’s return.
The news about Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise return is huge for the It franchise. Although Welcome to Derry is a solid continuation of the franchise, it would not have been nearly as effective without a member of the film’s cast. With totally new actors and an original story, audiences easily could have discarded Welcome to Derry as completely separate from the films. However, Skarsgård’s participation in the show solidifies it as canon. Furthermore, Skarsgård’s new role as an executive producer proves the show’s legitimacy. But above all, Skarsgård’s role fills two huge gaps in Welcome to Derry’s resume.
Related Welcome to Derry’s Pennywise Change Risks Ruining Stephen King’s Villain
Welcome to Derry’s attempts to flesh out Pennywise’s story means the prequel to Stephen King’s IT will struggle with finding a fitting main character.
Welcome To Derry Needed Pennywise To Appear
Pennywise Needs To Be The Main Villain
For Welcome to Derry to be a strong installment in the It franchise, Pennywise needs to be present, and Bill Skarsgård’s return makes this more than possible; without Skarsgård, the situation seemed a lot more dicey. Because Welcome to Derry is a prequel, its story is predicated on entirely new characters, and there needs to be a common thread between the new story and the old taleaudiences know and love. Namely, that connecting point would be Pennywise, but for Pennywise to link the show and movies, he needs to be physically present. Luckily, Bill Skarsgård’s return ensures that Pennywise will not only be a looming presence over Welcome to Derry, but will also play a very physical role in the series.
Luckily, Bill Skarsgård’s return ensures that Pennywise will not only be a looming presence over
Welcome to Derry,
but will also play a very physical role in the series.
Skarsgård will appear as Pennywise just as he did in the 2017 and 2019 It movies. However, he’ll create new terrors with this brand-new cast of characters. This will only help Welcome to Derry feel like a true installment in the franchise. His participation will likely only make Welcome to Derry better and scarier.
Bill Skarsgård In Welcome To Derry Avoids A Major It Recast Problem
Recasting Pennywise Would Have Been Tough
The other problem solved by Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise returning is that Welcome to Derry will not have to recast Pennywise. Though it would not have been the end of the world to recast Pennywise, it definitely would have had an effect on the series. The It films were released fairly recently, and audiences still clearly remember Skarsgård as Pennywise. Bringing in someone new may have been jarring, and could have made the prequel feel too dissimilar to the film franchise.
Welcome to Derry is slated to premiere in 2026.
Furthermore, Bill Skarsgård was simply amazing as Pennywise. Skarsgård is not the only actor able to play the killer clown, and he definitely isn’t the first to do so, but abandoning his work as Pennywise would have been a real disappointment. Skarsgård brought a level of strange otherworldliness that made Pennywise especially frightening in the modern iteration of It. He was a clown, sure, but he also embodied the idea of Pennywise being a creature that defies human laws of nature. Overall, his Pennywise has become iconic, and to lose it would have put Welcome to Derry at a disadvantage.
What To Expect From Pennywise In Welcome To Derry
Pennywise Will Be A Mix Of Old And New
Although it seems likely that Pennywise will be back to his old tricks, his arc may look a bit different from how it did on the big screen. This is mainly because Welcome to Derry takes place in the 1960s, decades before the events of It. In this way, just as the kids starring in the series will be different, Pennywise could also be different. He may have an older, more vintage look, or even new ways of instilling fear.
Even if Pennywise receives an update in Welcome to Derry, one thing is completely clear. With Bill Skarsgård reprising his role as Pennywise, there is little doubt that the villain will be as scary, if not scarier, than he was in the two It movies. Bopefully, Welcome to Derry will be on par with the rest of the beloved It franchise.
Welcome to Derry
Cast Jovan Adepo , Chris Chalk , Taylour Paige , James Remar , Madeleine Stowe
Release Date 2025-00-00
Seasons 1
Creator(s) Andy Muschietti , Barbara Muschietti , Jason Fuchs