‘It: Welcome to Derry' trailer: Iconic Stephen King horror returns to explore Pennywise origins
HBO has unveiled the first teaser trailer for It: Welcome to Derry, offering a glimpse into the origins of Stephen King's iconic horror universe. Set in 1962, the upcoming series acts as a prequel to Andy Muschietti's It films and expands on the sinister legacy of the town of Derry, Maine.
The teaser leans into atmosphere, using unsettling visuals to hint at the return of Pennywise. Bill Skarsgard reprises his role as the shapeshifting entity, and is also on board as an executive producer. Skarsgard has previously described the series as 'pretty hardcore'.
Get ready to go back to where IT all began... 🎈 #ITWelcometoDerry is coming this fall to HBO Max. pic.twitter.com/SOhXEA6yYe — Max (@StreamOnMax) May 20, 2025
It: Welcome to Derry is co-developed by Muschietti, who directed both It films and will helm four of the series' nine episodes. The story, created by Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs, draws inspiration from the interlude chapters of King's 1986 novel. These sections chronicle past cycles of Pennywise's violence, including events like the burning of the Black Spot and the Kitchener Ironworks explosion.
The show's ensemble cast features Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Madeleine Stowe, and Rudy Mancuso. Fuchs also serves as co-showrunner alongside Brad Caleb Kane.
Stephen King has given the project his approval, with Muschietti confirming the author's informal involvement in shaping the series. HBO has plans for multiple seasons, with future installments potentially exploring even earlier periods in Derry's cursed history.
It: Welcome to Derry is scheduled to premiere on HBO Max in 2025.
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Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
‘To rethink the entire sound of Mission: Impossible – that was our mission'
By - R. Prashanth Vidyasagar Imagine being handed the keys to a 27-year-old action juggernaut. The engine's roaring, the controls are bubbling like a submarine alarm, and is already halfway up the side of a plane. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Your job? Redesign the whole interior, but don't touch the upholstery. That's pretty much what composers Max Aruj and Alfie Godfrey signed up for on Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – the finale to the blockbuster spy saga. The composers tell us that their mission wasn't just about writing fabulous action music. 'It was about rethinking the entire sound of one of Hollywood's most iconic franchises, without losing what made it click in the first place,' they say. In this exclusive chat with Bangalore Times, the duo unpacks their wild 13-month journey, one that turned geography into harmony, stress into orchestration, and proved that, yes, sometimes the only thing standing between chaos and cohesion is a perfectly timed flute. Excerpts: 'It wasn't just about mood; the geography actually shaped the sound' From day one, director Christopher McQuarrie gave them a clear rule: the music has to reflect the place. 'That became our North Star,' says Max. 'Every major location got its own musical colour: South Africa, the submarine, Mount Weather. It wasn't just about 'mood' anymore. The geography actually shaped the sound,' he says.'And it works, even if you don't consciously notice it. You feel it. If a scene cuts from a frozen military base to a chaotic hideout, the music's already led you there,' Alfie adds. 'Every beat needed a countermelody, harmony, something to make even Mission: Impossible's sound feel human' The Mission franchise has a reputation for heavy rhythm bongos, that unmistakable 5/4 groove, but Max and Alfie didn't want to just hit the drums and call it a day. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'With this one, the drums couldn't carry the weight on their own. Every beat needed something next to it, a countermelody, some harmony, something that made it feel human,' says Max. They point to the film's big aerial finale, storm, chaos and emotion as one of the toughest and most rewarding cues to crack. 'That was one of the last ones we finished,' says Alfie. 'We tried using snares in this emotional moment, which sounds crazy, but it worked. It brought this weird intimacy to the scene.' Director Christopher McQuarrie gave us a clear rule: the music has to reflect the place. It wasn't just about 'mood' anymore. The geography actually shaped the sound —Max Aruj 'Nothing about scoring Mission: Impossible felt normal' Max still remembers getting the call. 'I was shocked,' he says. 'I had this 90-minute meeting with director Christopher McQuarrie. I thought it went well, but didn't expect a callback. The second I got the news, I told my parents. Then I started figuring out how to move my whole studio setup to London.' Alfie, who's based in East London, was technically on home turf, but that didn't make things feel any less surreal. 'I was home,' he says, 'but nothing about the next year felt normal. ' The two worked out of the same building as the director, editors, and producers, an unusual setup in the world of blockbusters. 'It felt like a regular job,' Alfie laughs. 'Lunch breaks, meetings, some kind of rhythm. Until the deadline started breathing down our necks.' 'Sometimes you just trust it'll all come together in the end. That's what makes it mission possible' Outside of the film, Max wants to write a musical. 'Something live, collaborative. It's a different kind of rush.' Alfie's thinking more retro: a big band album. 'I love that Sinatra-era warmth. I'd love to go deep on that.' If they weren't doing music? Max says he wishes he could draw. 'I love visual stuff, but I'm terrible at it.' Alfie wants to run a restaurant. 'Not to cook just to walk around and offer people more parmesan. That's the dream.' Looking ahead, Max is heading into the world of video games with a new project at Polygon Pictures. Alfie shares he's finally taking a break. 'This job taught me that there's no one way to do things. Sometimes you lead with melody, sometimes chords, sometimes just noise' Alfie says. 'And sometimes,' Max adds, 'you just trust it'll all come together in the end. That's what makes it mission possible.' 'Scoring the eighth and final film was like walking a tightrope' Scoring the eighth and final film in a franchise with a theme as iconic as Mission: Impossible meant walking a tightrope, says Alfie. 'That balance reinventing without breaking was McQ's (director Christopher McQuarrie) job,' says Max. 'At first, he said, 'Give me something new.' So we went emotional. Then a few weeks later: 'Where's the Mission stuff?' So, we had to blend the two.' Alfie adds, 'That tension actually helped. We weren't just copying. We were figuring out how to evolve it.' The duo adds that this is a 'score that sneaks up on you'. 'By the time you hit the third act of The Final Reckoning, chances are you're too caught up in the action to think about the score. But that's kind of the point,' says Max. 'By the tenth watch, I wasn't analysing anymore,' says Max. 'I was just in it. That's when you know it's working. ' Scoring the eighth and final film in a franchise with a theme as iconic as Mission: Impossible meant walking a tightrope. But, that tension actually helped — Alfie Godfrey What do blockbuster composers really listen to on their days off? Their playlists aren't what you'd expect. 'Slipknot,' says Max, no hesitation. 'The layers in their percussion? It's chaos, but it's tight. That's not far off from scoring a movie.' Alfie's pick? Béla Fleck. 'His mandolin stuff is so expressive and weirdly emotional. It's just inspiring to see someone do that with strings.' Asked which band they'd join if they could, Max picks Brandi Carlile's. Alfie picks the Beatles. 'I know, predictable. But come on, it's the Beatles.' By the time you hit the third act of Final Reckoning, chances are you're too caught up in the action to think about the score. But that's kind of the point —Max Aruj How would Max and Alfie score a chase scene in the Kodagu forests? So, how would they score a chase scene in India's lush Kodagu forests? 'Right away, I'm hearing twigs snapping that's already percussion,' Max says. 'Then probably a flute for lyricism, some tablas for drive. Add strings to give it some emotional width.' Alfie shares, 'That's the fun part, you just start building a whole sonic world from textures.'
Mint
18 hours ago
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The film starts by showing horrible violence in Gujarat and ends with a CNN headline where the Indian 'government says order has been restored across most of the country." In this increasingly post-fact world, what can we believe? Who will fact-check the fact-checkers? Streaming Tip Of The Week The documentary The Social Dilemma (Netflix) is five years old — which feels like an eternity given the way technology and social behaviour is evolving — but the film remains thought-provoking and essential.
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Time of India
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