Showrunner Reveals If Pennywise Will Return in ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’

Showrunner Jason Fuchs recently opened up about what fans can expect from the upcoming HBO horror series It: Welcome to Derry, and it looks like Pennywise the Clown won’t be showing up right away.

The show, which serves as a prequel to It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019), will explore the early history of Derry and the dark force that haunts it.

Developed by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs, the series brings back Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise, who also joins the production team as an executive producer. The cast includes Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, Taylour Paige, James Remar, and Stephen Rider.

The show has been in development since 2022. Fuchs and Brad Kane serve as the showrunners, with Andy Muschietti directing several episodes, including the pilot. Filming began in May 2023 but was interrupted by the SAG-AFTRA strike before resuming and wrapping up in August 2024. The series is set to premiere on HBO on October 26.

While many fans are eager to see Pennywise again, Fuchs explained that the show’s story will take time to build up to his return. “Derry is the entity in many ways,” Fuchs said. “Obviously there’s a town that is separate, but to me, the stories are totally intertwined. If you think about the mythology in the book, It actually predates Derry. It has been there for millennia. Derry is a more recent innovation.”

He added that the first season will dive into the origins of both the town and the creature that feeds on fear. “So is there a Derry without It? This season at least has some hints of an explanation, but we want to tell a complete story so that you leave the show with a different understanding of the creature, of the rules of the town, and what motivates It.”

Run. #ITWelcomeToDerry premieres October 26 on HBO Max. pic.twitter.com/YV2rCoYQOp

— HBO Max (@hbomax) October 14, 2025

This means that while Pennywise will eventually appear, his presence won’t dominate the early episodes. The show will instead focus on uncovering how Derry became the cursed town fans know from Stephen King’s novel and the previous films.

It: Welcome to Derry promises to expand the world of It and reveal chilling new details about the creature’s ancient past. Fans will just have to wait a little longer before the familiar red balloon floats into view.

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