Bill Skarsgård has returned to his iconic role as Pennywise the Clown in the new adaptation Welcome to Derry, thrilling fans of the horror genre.
This prequel series, inspired by Stephen King’s 1986 horror classic, premiered on October 26 on HBO Max, with episodes releasing on a weekly schedule.
While King is not directly participating in the TV series, which is produced by the Muschietti siblings, Andy and Barbara, he has expressed his support for the project. In the episode that aired last night (November 23), viewers got to see Skarsgård back in action as the infamous clown.
The news of a prequel series to King’s It, which would explore the events leading up to the novel, was confirmed in 2023.
Skarsgård had previously embodied Pennywise in the 2017 film It and its 2019 sequel, It Chapter Two, to widespread praise.
However, the 35-year-old actor initially hesitated to reprise the role for the prequel series, almost deciding to conclude his portrayal of Pennywise permanently.
During an episode of Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, related to the horror-mystery film Nosferatu in which he co-starred with Lily-Rose Depp, Skarsgård discussed the factors that influenced his decision.
The Swedish actor shared his internal conflict about returning to the iconic role: “I felt like I was done with it, in a way. It was also because I was shooting this [Nosferatu], I was doing [Count] Orlok, and, to me, it felt like, ‘This is the nail in the coffin of my monster roles’.
“Pun intended.”
Skarsgård further elaborated: “So I did feel I was kind of over it and wanted to do different things. The Pennywise thing as well, I’ve been quite defined by it. Like, that’s 26-year-old me, I’m not still a young man.”
Ultimately, it was his strong bond with the Muschiettis—Andy and Barbara, the creative minds behind It—that swayed his decision.
“Barbara and Andy, the Muschettis, are doing it and I love them,” he said.
“They’re very close friends. Family, even. I’m the godfather of his son. I love them,” he added. “So, alright, let’s bring him back.”
And there you have it!
It: Welcome to Derry is currently streaming on HBO Max in the US and NOW in the UK, with new episodes available weekly.