Pennywise’s Terrifying Return in IT: WELCOME TO DERRY Promises “Unexpected” Surprises Ahead
Fans have waited half the season to see Pennywise emerge from the shadows in It: Welcome to Derry and now that the shapeshifting nightmare has taken on its most iconic form, the show’s creative team says viewers haven’t seen anything yet.
With three episodes still on the way, the series is gearing up to push this version of Pennywise into new territory and give audiences a fresh look at the character that helped define modern horror.
The series has spent its early episodes exploring the many disguises of the creature known simply as It. While its most recognizable appearance is the Dancing Clown, this entity thrives on transformation, taking on whatever shape best feeds on fear.
That made last week’s reveal land with a thrilling impact when It chose to appear as Pennywise for the first time, emerging out of the missing kid Matty and kicking the show’s tension up several notches.
Showrunner Jason Fuchs says that this long build up was deliberate and that Pennywise’s arrival is only the beginning of where the character is headed. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, he teased just how far Welcome to Derry will go in the episodes ahead.
"[Skarsgård’s] performance goes to some unexpected places [in the weeks ahead]. [He] has opportunities with this character that the story of the films did not present.
“Not only are you getting a really, hopefully, thrilling build-up to seeing Pennywise, you are gonna see Bill doing things you’ve not seen him do in this character yet."
This marks Bill Skarsgård’s first time slipping back into the clown’s greasepaint since It: Chapter Two in 2019. His return instantly reignited interest in the prequel series. Even though audiences know how terrifying his Pennywise can be, Fuchs wants you to understand that the show is treating this version of the character as a chance to explore new sides of the cosmic threat lurking underneath Derry.
Getting Skarsgård to return wasn’t as simple as asking. Executive producer Andy Muschietti, who directed the two feature films, previously explained how demanding the role can be both emotionally and mentally.
"When we started talking about the series as something that was real and tangible, he had played a lot of very dark characters, and he was a little hesitant to go into it again. Because, obviously, for someone that takes his work and his art so seriously as him, it takes a toll to live in the head of those characters for a long time."
That hesitation makes his performance in Welcome to Derry feel even more special. Skarsgård didn’t return just to recreate what audiences have already seen. The creative team is promising new chills, new layers, and new surprises as the series barrels toward its finale.
With Pennywise now fully in play and the mystery surrounding It’s presence in Derry unfolding piece by piece, the final stretch of the season is shaping up to deliver some of the most chilling moments yet. Skarsgård is about to unleash a version of Pennywise we’ve never encountered before.