On the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Bill Skarsgard talked about coming back as Pennywise for HBO’s It: Welcome to Derry.
We were already excited when we found out that Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti (It, It Chapter Two), and Jason Fuchs (It Chapter Two, Wonder Woman) were making the prequel series It: Welcome to Derry. But the excitement grew even more when we learned that Bill Skarsgard would return as Pennywise and also work as an executive producer.
The series takes place in the world of Stephen King’s It and builds on the story and style that Andy Muschietti created in the movies It and It Chapter Two. While promoting his movie Nosferatu, Skarsgard spoke with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, where he shared what brought him back to the role and teased what fans can expect from the show.
Advertisement At the 24:22 mark of the conversation about It: Welcome to Derry, Skarsgard told Horowitz that he felt he had already done everything he wanted with the character of Pennywise. After working on Nosferatu, he even joked that it was “the nail in the coffin on my monster rolls – pun intended.” However, his close friendship and strong bond with Andy and Barbara Muschietti, whom he described as “like family,” played a big part in him thinking about playing Pennywise again.
It was a lot of fun. I enjoyed it even more than I expected, We got to explore new sides of Pennywise that haven’t been shown before, which made it really exciting. I also remembered how much I love working with Andy. We always have a great time together. I think there’s some cool stuff in the series that fans haven’t seen yet, and I can’t wait for everyone to watch and hopefully enjoy it.
Skarsgard said about working on the spinoff series
Horowitz asked Skarsgard if the horror and intensity in the TV series matched what they achieved in the movies. Skarsgard gave an exciting answer:
It’s pretty hardcore, man. This isn’t a G-rated Pennywise. Definitely not.
He also mentioned how easy it was for him to slip back into Pennywise’s creepy voice, saying, “Yeah, he’s there. He’s just waiting.” After that, Skarsgard and Horowitz talked more about voice acting to wrap up the segment, which you can check out below.
The prequel series It: Welcome to Derry features a talented cast, including Taylour Paige (Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley), Jovan Adepo (Watchmen), Chris Chalk (Perry Mason), and James Remar (Oppenheimer).
Other recurring cast members include Alixandra Fuchs (Hatfields & McCoys), Kimberly Guerrero (The English), Dorian Grey (Star Trek: Discovery), Thomas Mitchell (Spiral), BJ Harrison (Family Law), Peter Outerbridge (Batwoman), Shane Marriott (Fargo), Chad Rook (Joe Pickett), Joshua Odjick (Little Bird), and Morningstar Angeline (Echo).
The series is produced by HBO Max and Warner Bros. Television. The first episode’s teleplay, written by Jason Fuchs, is based on a story by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Fuchs. Jason Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane will serve as co-showrunners.
Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti (through their production company Double Dream), Fuchs, Kane, and Bill Skarsgård will executive produce the show. Andy Muschietti will direct four episodes, including the series premiere.