Season 2 of ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’ Takes Inspiration from a Hidden Gem in Stephen King’s Novel, Says Creator Andy Muschietti
HBO’s "It: Welcome to Derry" Explores Dark Origins Under Andy Muschietti’s Direction
Andy Muschietti, the creator, director, and executive producer of HBO’s It: Welcome to Derry, is delving deeper into Stephen King’s source material to develop compelling prequel storylines for the acclaimed limited series. With the first season’s direction now solidified, Muschietti aims to expand on the haunting narratives that originated in King’s work.
Muschietti revealed that King drew inspiration from a 1930s true-crime incident that transpired in Maine. “The Bradley Gang is based on the Brady Gang, which is a real-life gang of robbers that were executed in the streets of Bangor, Maine,” Muschietti explained. “Now, we’re not creating the event that the big paroxysm of violence in this case will be the massacre of a Bradley gang.”
He noted that the first season will revolve around three major events, one of which is an explosion at the Kitchener Iron Works. This tragic incident, occurring during an Easter egg hunt, resulted in the loss of a hundred children’s lives. “It’s always there f*cking around, so that much I can tell you,” Muschietti added.
Discussing the series’ context, Muschietti highlighted how the Great Depression profoundly influences the narratives. “There’s no suburban comfort—the trope of the kids that live in suburbia and ride their bikes and suddenly one of them disappears is nothing like this. This is in 1935. It’s a very dire situation. People are very poor. They’re struggling to survive, so the setup will be very different.”
Muschietti emphasized the richness of King’s work, reflecting on the extensive ground that still needs to be explored. “I had read this book many, many decades ago, and it was very close to me and very close to my heart. There are so many stories in that book that I couldn’t possibly cover in two movies,” he stated.
During the production of It 2, discussions persisted about creating an origin story for one of the book’s most enigmatic characters, Bob Gray, who becomes Pennywise the clown. “Bob Gray is one of the big enigmas in the book that are intentionally put there to create tension and are never solved. Our idea was to just like open another window into that enigma,” Muschietti shared.
The anticipation for It: Welcome to Derry underscores the drive to uncover the dark complexities within King’s narratives, promising a fresh exploration of familiar themes.
