The anticipation for It: Welcome to Derry comes with a notable challenge: audiences are already well-acquainted with the terrifying figure of Pennywise. With Stephen King’s seminal novel and its various adaptations in mind, this new series needed to establish its horror cred swiftly. Introducing a new set of characters with uncertain destinies was crucial.
To grab attention immediately, there’s a bold choice made early on: the show kicks off with the brutal demise of several child actors.
The premiere introduces us to a young boy, Matty (Miles Ekhardt), attempting to escape the cursed town. His hopes are dashed when his would-be rescuers turn out to be one of Pennywise’s manifestations. The scene culminates in a chilling moment where a blood-covered demonic baby lunges at him, sealing his fate.
Matty isn’t alone in his tragic end. Throughout the episode, the fresh faces positioned as the next generation of heroes face a grim fate. Lilly (Clara Stack), Ronnie (Amanda Christine), Phil (Jack Molloy Legault), Teddy (Mikkal Karim-Fidler), and Susie (Matilda Legault) form a modern-day “Losers Club.” They are driven by the mystery surrounding Matty’s fate, only to confront the demon baby again. In the episode’s climax, they find themselves trapped in a theater, where all but Lilly and Ronnie meet a gruesome end.
Originally, the episode featured an alternative ending where all the kids escaped the theater incident alive. However, during discussions with Entertainment Weekly, co-creators Barbara and Andy Muschietti disclosed that the shocking twist was a late addition. Following the original pilot script, they decided to infuse horror into the narrative by secretly developing this violent pivot with showrunners Brad Caleb Kane and Jason Fuchs. When pitching this concept to HBO, the presentation was dramatic: Fuchs revealed a wall of headshots of child actors cast for Episode 1, only to disclose their character’s fate in a theatrical way that mirrored their original excitement.
“The network was completely unaware of this twist when we pitched it,” Fuchs shared with EW. “I had a display of the young actors lined up, and Andy dramatically lifted it to reveal a new group of headshots. Their shocked reactions were unforgettable. We knew we had to create that same thrill for our audience at home.”
“This was a strategic choice to instill a chilling sense that nothing is sacred in this world,” Andy Muschietti emphasized. “We lead the audience to believe these kids are the new Losers Club, only for them to discover that they are all dead.”
While HBO approved the daring turns of the storyline, Lilly and Ronnie now face the daunting task of either finding new allies or confronting Pennywise alone. Surviving the first episode—will they last through the season?
It: Welcome to Derry is currently streaming on HBO Max.
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