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An ‘IT’ prequel series ‘WELCOME TO DERRY’ is in early works at HBO Max. The series would likely explore the origin story of Pennywise the Clown.
- Thread starter IDontBeatGames
- Start date
Considering how adaptations tend to try to wring the 'weird' out of King at nearly every turn, I'm not holding my breath for this one. Get back to me when the creators start talking about the Turtle and Todash and Beams.
Oh, and remember how the new movies shortchanged Mike by giving his role to one of the white kids? Or how it took Beverly and literally damseled her so the boys could save her? Good times.
Oh, and remember how the new movies shortchanged Mike by giving his role to one of the white kids? Or how it took Beverly and literally damseled her so the boys could save her? Good times.
They could just potentially make countless seasons of Pennywise fucking around with different sets of characters during his long history infecting Derry. He must have had dozens of cycles going back hundreds of years. Sounds fun actually.
History shows that "Creating origin stories for your mysterious weird killing monster" tend not to do to well.
I mean, if you go real Cosmic Weird then this could at least be interesting I guess. Will they? We shall see...
I mean, if you go real Cosmic Weird then this could at least be interesting I guess. Will they? We shall see...
Didn't Andy Muschietti film a bunch of that origin stuff for Chapter 2 and it got cut from the film? I wonder if they plan on using some of that footage. Bummer we never got to see any of it.
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#WelcomeToDerry, "will begin in the 1960s in the time leading up to the events of 'It: Part One,' the 2017 film based on the Stephen King horror novel."
OP
OP
Perhaps it starts in the 60s and each season goes further back from there.
Are these origin story projects ever good?
All I can think of are bad examples: Solo, the prequel trilogy, Hannibal Rising, Monsters University, Prometheus, Ratched, Clarice, The Carrie Diaries, Malificent, Cruella, The Many Saints of Newark...
Well, I guess Hannibal was relatively liked but still these projects often come off as forced and unnecessary.
All I can think of are bad examples: Solo, the prequel trilogy, Hannibal Rising, Monsters University, Prometheus, Ratched, Clarice, The Carrie Diaries, Malificent, Cruella, The Many Saints of Newark...
Well, I guess Hannibal was relatively liked but still these projects often come off as forced and unnecessary.
Yes please, I just LOVE that setting. I know it's probably easy to fuck this up, but I want to believe!
The IT novel thoroughly explains the origin of Pennywise/IT, right from the time this particular appendage of the cosmic being came to Earth. There's literally a vision of it crashing to Earth in prehistoric times, and key climaxes of the book's past and present involve seeing its greater cosmic form, the Deadlights.
I don't get it. I guess you could adapt the various previous times IT emerged that are also detailed in the Derry history chapters but they're quite far apart.
But there's nothing complex about IT and Derry, it's basically a cursed town because of IT's presence and the times IT emerges to cause some huge catastrophe to feed from.
I don't get it. I guess you could adapt the various previous times IT emerged that are also detailed in the Derry history chapters but they're quite far apart.
But there's nothing complex about IT and Derry, it's basically a cursed town because of IT's presence and the times IT emerges to cause some huge catastrophe to feed from.
Hannibal Rising was most certainly not liked, that was garbage. If you mean the Hannibal TV show that's not quite a prequel, it starts before Red Dragon but ultimately it does adopt the novels too except Silence of the Lambs.
I'm curious, because Pennywise WAS a clown before being consumed by IT and turned into one of its avatars, so I'm curious about that. Also other things from Derry's grim history, like the fire at the Black Spot or the Derry Ironworks explosion and so on.
Gimme the history of egg boy.
Gimme the history of egg boy.
I meant Hannibal. I never watched it so was not sure about the timeframe.
I feel this is a way for them to have their cake and eat it too. By moving the setting to the early 60s (27 years before 1988/1989), they can basically play it similarly to the original tv mini-series, which was also set in the early 60s. It's still set in a relatively close timespan with the novel (the late 50s), so they can actually incorporate aspects of the novel/mini-series into this new one, specifical;y, stuff like Eddie Corcoran (though they shit the bed with Patrick HOckstetter) and Its classic movie monster forms.
It's the part where they say it will lead up to the beginning of the first movie that confuses me. The beginning with Georgie is supposed to be around the time It/Pennywise first resurfaces during THAT cycle. The cycle begins in Fall '88 and lasts through the Summer of '89. I mean, unless they are going to follow around other victims around that time (basically shit happening in the background when the first movie was taking place).
It's the part where they say it will lead up to the beginning of the first movie that confuses me. The beginning with Georgie is supposed to be around the time It/Pennywise first resurfaces during THAT cycle. The cycle begins in Fall '88 and lasts through the Summer of '89. I mean, unless they are going to follow around other victims around that time (basically shit happening in the background when the first movie was taking place).
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I would love to see the whole 1920s shoot out, the crazed woodcutter massacre, the Ironworks tragedy, and the Black Spot incident on screen. The beauty of the book IT has always been the tapestry of history that King created to show how much evil Pennywise created just by his presence.
Wouldn't an origin series for Pennywise have to dive headfirst into Stephen King's weird, meta, multiversal lore that connects his books? Which is the exact part of IT that people don't like?
I suppose they could just invent a new origin.
I suppose they could just invent a new origin.
Castle Rock died so that show could live... and now it isn't going to live? Sigh.Btw for King fans I wouldn't get hopes up on this until something is officially announced and it's greenlit to move forward.
The Overlook Hotel series looked like a done deal until it wasn't, and that could very well happen here again:
‘Overlook’ Hotel Drama From J.J. Abrams Being Shopped After HBO Max Pass
Sources say the spinoff of sorts from 'The Shining' is already generating interest from other buyers — with Netflix the frontrunner to land it — as Abrams plots his next moves, including directing HBO's 'Demimonde.'www.hollywoodreporter.com
Think of a prequel series that deals with each season revolving around a different era of the cycle, a different window into Derry's past? Instead of revolving around just the 60s (1961 if they are keeping true to the hard 27-year rule, as that's 27 years prior to 1988), get glimpses into 1907 (around that time, the Silver Dollar Bar massacre happens and the explosion at the Kitchener Ironworks), 1934 (Bradley Gang shootout and the fire at the Black Spot) and so on.
I think they ruined that with the presentation of It's "final form" in Chapter 2 and the way It was defeated (well, the whole concept that if you have no fear, you can defeat it, which was such a black & white simplifying of the more general "bravery is being afraid, but still doing what is right/what you have to do regardless of your fear"). Though, in the book, what builds It up the great heights IS It's lore connected to Derry's history. I think that's something both the mini-series (from the 90s) and both these recent movies failed to get across. In the book, all the tales and history that are brought to life via recollections of old people that were THERE and historic documents make everything happening far grander than what's presented in these tv/cinematic adaptations.
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Could work. I think this would also work as a great premise for one off / short story arcs for the weird shit that happens in Derry. For example you could have Low Men in Yellow Coats
Cruella was well received, but it's not exactly a prequel.
Horror prequels usually suffer from being prequels to a known thing... but 27 years earlier gives you the ability to bring in a wide cast of characters we don't know the fates of. Plus, knowing that the evil won't be defeated isn't a bad angle for a horror film.