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The long-awaited It prequel series Welcome to Derry is currently in the works and, originally, it was supposed to be exclusive to the Max streaming service. Now, the powers that be have done some shuffling around behind the scenes and a bunch of upcoming shows – including this one – have been rebranded as HBO originals. As such, the show will now air on HBO as well as streaming on Max when it arrives in 2025.
Variety broke the news, which comes straight from HBO and Max content CEO Casey Bloys. The executive explained that, originally, the idea was to distinguish Max shows from HBO shows, with Warner Bros. properties eyed as Max shows. That changed as they began diving in with Bloys saying “as we started producing those shows, we were using the same methods, the same kind of thinking, as how we would approach HBO shows.” So they just decided to go ahead and categorize Welcome to Derry, as well as the upcoming DC series Lanterns and other big shows, as HBO shows. As Bloys explained…
“What we ended up with is shows at this scope and scale that look great, and great narratives and talent we’ve worked with. The idea of the delineation kind of started to feel unnecessary. Like, why are we doing this? Let’s just call them what they are: HBO shows.”
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There is, indeed, a certain quality associated with an HBO show. That has undoubtedly benefited The Last of Us, as well as the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon. So, why not use that to one’s benefit? “For a show that feels big and cinematic, they already are going to make the assumption that it feels like an HBO show,” Bloys added. “This is just leaning into that.”
For most viewers, this change hardly matters. The biggest difference is that the show will likely reach a wider audience as it will air on HBO proper before making its way to streaming. Bloys touched on the confusing nature of these things in the streaming era, admitting that they are in a process of trial and error to figure this all out.
“It’s a confusing time in the business, consumers figuring out streaming and shows that were on linear and streaming and vice versa. We’re trying to adapt and figure out what is the best way to approach this in a world where streaming is dominant. So, there is going to be experimentation, there are going to be mistakes. Because this is all still relatively new in the history of television.”
The upcoming series is set in the same universe as Stephen King’s novel It. Andy Muschietti, who directed both movies, is set to direct multiple episodes of the series as well. Jason Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane are on board as co-showrunners. Most importantly, it was confirmed earlier this year that Bill Skarsgard will reprise his role as Pennywise the Clown in the show. Whether or not any other familiar faces will appear remains to be seen.
Welcome to Derry is set to premiere in 2025. For more, be sure to check out our list of the 12 best Stephen King movies, according to critics.
