First Glimpse at IT Prequel Series Sparks Wild Theories—and One Burning Question Fans Can’t Shake

Ever wonder what a killer clown does in his downtime? No, seriously. If you’re Pennywise, apparently the answer is: snooze for 27 years, then wake up, rinse, and repeat the small-town mayhem until the Losers Club catches wise. But what if we got to peek into the years before the infamous red balloon floated above Derry’s gutters? Enter IT: Welcome to Derry, the freshly teased prequel series to the IT films. Set decades before the kids we already love (and fear for), this new take plunges us into a Derry that hasn’t yet learned to shudder at a paper boat, with a new cast caught in Pennywise’s earliest trial run of, well… child-based terror.

The idea itself is deliciously nerve-wracking—what lurked in that cursed town during the “off-season”? With only a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot of our favorite 7-foot clown in the trailer (come on, HBO—tease much?), fans have been practically chewing their fingernails over whether Bill Skarsgård’s unsettling grin would return to haunt our nightmares. Turns out, yes, he’s back, and if you ask me, there are entire Oscar categories just waiting to be created for this sort of performance . Even Stephen King is on board, tossing out red balloons of approval left and right. If, like me, you’re already stringing up your own balloon in nerd-celebration, you need all the chilling details. LEARN MORE

The prequel series to the IT films has gotten its first trailer.

The show is set a full 27 years before IT and IT: Chapter Two following a new cast of kids subject to Pennywise’s rampage.

IT’s lore follows the idea that, after each time in which he eats a bunch of kids, Pennywise is forced to hibernate for exactly 27 years.

This show then is following the Bill Skarsgård killer clown’s last rampage before the events of the film. Whilst the films are more clear adaptions from the iconic Stephen King novel, this new series focuses on telling the stories of the interludes in the book in which Mike interviews older people in Derry.

Called IT: Welcome to Derry, the first trailer was released earlier today.

Check it out here:

Many watching may be left with the same question fans online have been asking following the trailer’s release.

The trailer is very limited in how it shows Pennywise, with only one quick shot towards the end showing the killer clown.

This has left fans understandably concerned about whether Skarsgård has been brought back for the series.

The Barbarian star received a great deal of praise for his performance, with some even calling for an Oscar nomination for his performance in the pair of horror films.

The only view fans got of Pennywise in the new trailer (HBO)

One fan responded to the trailer asking: “Please god I know it would be expensive but let it be Bill Skarsgard back in the role.”

Another said: “Who is playing Pennywise? Hopefully Bill Skarsgard!”

A third simply asked ‘where is Bill Skarsgard?’ summing up a widespread fear amongst fans based on the trailer that he would not be coming back.

Thankfully for fans, it has already been confirmed that, despite barely featuring in the trailer, Skarsgård will be reprising his role as Pennywise the Clown.

He will be joined in the cast by Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Madeleine Stowe and Rudy Mancuso.

The show released its first trailer (HBO)

Stephen King has praised the upcoming series, saying: “I’m excited that the story of Derry, Maine’s most haunted city, is continuing, and I’m glad [Producer and director of the films] Andy Muschietti is going to be overseeing the frightening festivities, along with a brain trust including his talented sister, Barbara. Red balloons all around!”

Skarsgård has also commented on his return to the role, speaking in SFX magazine: “It was strange to be back. Andy and Barbara Muschietti were doing the show, and I adore them.

“Most of the crew was the same people that did the movies. So it was this weird thing of going back to this gang of people that you created this thing with.”

IT: Welcome to Derry releases this fall on HBO.