‘Welcome to Derry’ ties directly into Andy Muschietti’s ‘It’ movies — here’s how the stories connect
There is a special connection between 'Welcome to Derry' and Andy Muschietti’s 'It' films. For the unversed, 'It: Welcome to Derry' is a supernatural horror series based on Stephen King's 1986 novel 'It.' Developed by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs, the series serves as a prequel to the movies 'It' and 'It Chapter Two.' The horror series revolves around the story of a couple who move into Derry, Maine, with their son. Upon their arrival, a young boy disappears from the town, and soon after, some eerie events take over.
Previously, Muschietti also donned the director's hat for 'It' and 'It Chapter Two', which came out in 2017 and 2019, respectively. When we talk about the prequel series 'It: Welcome to Derry', set in the early 1960s, nearly 30 years before the events of 'It Chapter One', it sheds light on the early history of Pennywise the Dancing Clown. In addition to this, the show also explores the mysterious and evil force that has haunted Derry for generations.
On the other hand, Muschietti's films 'It' and 'It Chapter Two' narrate the tale of The Losers Club as they face the horror franchise’s most terrifying icon, Pennywise the Dancing Clown, in 1989 and later in 2016. 'Welcome to Derry' reveals what happens before the events of the movies, how the terror of Pennywise began, and how the town of Derry became cursed. Muschietti, who helmed both the 'It' films, ensured that the tone, visual style, and mythology of the series stayed consistent with the movies. To maintain the symphony, Muschietti gave the same cinematic texture and atmosphere to the episodes of the horror series.
In an interview with HOLA!, Andy candidly spoke about 'It: Welcome to Derry' and shared, "My relationship to the book before we started wasn't the same as it is now. Your desires change completely. The idea of Welcome to Derry started around the time when we were finishing It: Chapter Two, out of conversations with Bill Skarsgård. We were very curious about a movie on the origins of Pennywise. And then our thoughts evolved, and we decided to make it into a longer medium.” Currently, 'It: Welcome to Derry' is available for streaming on Max.