‘It: Welcome to Derry’ creators tease the worst is yet to come after brutal and blood-soaked premiere
The first episode of HBO's 'It: Welcome to Derry' was anything but ordinary, establishing the stage for a horror-filled adventure. Based on the novel 'It' by Stephen King, the supernatural horror show is set against the grim year of 1962. While the fans are in awe of the jaw-dropping premiere episode, the creator and the actors of the show are warning fans of more horror and jaw-dropping twists in the upcoming episodes.
The debut first episode of 'It' stunned viewers by killing off several characters who were believed to be the show's main protagonists. The episode opened with the death of Matty (Miles Ekhardt), who, while trying to hitchhike out of town, encountered 'It.' Disguised as a kind family, the creature lured Matty into their car, leading to his gruesome end, as per ScreenRant. Four years later, Matty's friends, Lilly (Clara Stack), Phil (Jack Molloy Legault), Teddy (Mikkal Karim-Fidler), Ronnie (Amanda Christine), and Susie (Matilda Legault), set out to uncover the truth behind his disappearance.
However, to everyone's shock, three of them, Phil, Teddy, and Susie, are brutally killed within the pilot episode. The shocking deaths caught fans off guard, as the children were heavily featured in the 'Welcome to Derry' promotions, making their sudden deaths even more unexpected. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, creator Andy Muschietti admitted that this was intentional. He explained, "The idea behind luring fans into a false sense of security is to remind them that anything can happen. No one is guaranteed to survive the series."
Afurther added, "This is strategically a devastating event to set the audience into that sense of 'nothing is safe in this world.' We kind of trick the audience into thinking that these are the new Losers. Well, guess what? I guess they're all dead." The co-creator of the show, Barbara Muschietti, also expressed pride in the shocking and bloody pilot, comparing it to one of television's most infamous moments. "We love it. It's our Red Wedding," she said, referencing the brutal 'Game of Thrones' episode. Barbara and her brother, co-creator Andy, admitted they were initially worried HBO might reject their violent vision. However, the network surprised them with its full support.
As they explained, "We went in [thinking] that will be the fight for us; we're going to have to fight to keep on pushing the horror and push the jump scares. It was the opposite." Amanda Christine, who plays one of the few survivors of the 'Welcome to Derry' pilot, recalled feeling excited when she first read the script. She shared that the cast was enthusiastic about the story, even though many knew their characters wouldn't survive the first episode. "We were just like, 'Whoa! This is how we’re ending things? Okay, let's get into it!’" Christine said, while adding, "So it was definitely really fun to really endeavor also into my character, being the first time I’ve witnessed Pennywise and really felt him be present. That ending scene was just iconic. It’s a shocker."