Summary

• Welcome to Derry will focus more on character-driven storytelling than the IT movies, according to director Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr.
• The episodic TV format will allow for long-form storytelling and better character arcs, building a sense of dread and dramatic weight.
• The show has the opportunity to flesh out Pennywise's backstory, explore his origin story, and delve into his impact on the history and culture of Derry.

Welcome to Derry director Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr. has teased how the IT prequel show will compare to the movies. Following the box-office success of IT and IT: Chapter 2, director Andy Muschietti has joined with sister Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs to develop the Welcome to Derry prequel show for HBO. While the IT movies served as adaptations of Stephen King's legendary horror novel, the prequel show is set to shed more light on the character of Pennywise the Clown and his backstory.

In an exclusive interview with SR to discuss Shōgun episode 8, director Osei-Kuffour Jr. also took the time to talk about Welcome to Derry. He revealed that the TV series will differ a fair amount from the movies in the sense that it will be more character-driven, as the format provides more of a chance to explore emotion and character, but without sacrificing the scares. Check out Osei-Kuffour Jr.'s full comments below:

Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr.: Ah, I can't really talk about that. But I will say it's a TV show. So, you learn more about the characters, it's very, very character-driven. I've enjoyed preparing for that show, and I think audiences will be as scared as they are in the original movies, and Andy Muschietti's handprints are all over this series. So, I think people will be very excited for the series. [Mike Flanagan and Andy Muschietti] are quite similar. Both Andy and Mike are horror aficionados, they're also very much all about emotion, and character.

It's really hard to comment on it without talking about the show, so I wish I could talk more about it. When the episode wraps, I'm sure I'll have some time to reflect. But yeah, I love the show. My experience on this series has been just as deep and fulfilling, and I've been able to capture emotional nuance in genre on that show, as well.

So, for me, every show I work on moving forward, I have to find a way to find nuance and emotion, regardless of whether it's an adventure series like Shogun, a horror series like Welcome to Derry or The Midnight Club, or even The Recruit. Just getting the opportunity to continue to tell very nuanced, emotionally charged, character-driven genre shows is something that I've been very, very lucky to do, and I hope I can continue doing.

How Welcome To Derry Can Find Success

By Differentiating Itself From The IT Movies

The nature of episodic television is such that it allows for long-form storytelling and the ability to provide better arcs for characters. Plot points can be set up early and gradually explored over the course of several episodes, bringing greater dramatic weight, which should at the same time help build a sense of dread. While the IT movies were, at their core, a coming-of-age tale about friendship and the strength of a group dynamic, the show could well focus more on individuals and how Pennywise's reign of terror impacts them.

A successful IT prequel series will seek to take the best and most interesting elements from the movies, and use those as a guide to crafting something memorable. Because of the storytelling possibilities on offer, and the opportunity to weave fresh ideas in to an already established world, Welcome to Derry is more compelling than a hypothetical IT 3 movie would be. It can do greater justice to the story of Pennywise, and flesh out the backstory that helps to make him such a terrifying villain.

There are plenty of avenues the show could explore, such as why Pennywise's preferred victims are children, what his origin story is, and how his sprees have impacted the history and culture of Derry. There is plenty for audiences to be excited about, and, though details are under wraps, there's every chance that Welcome to Derry could become a big success. Of course, casting the right Pennywise will be crucial, and although Bill Skarsgård ruled out a return to the Pennywise role, there are many actors out ther who could be perfect for the part, and help enhance the show.