It prequel series gets Bill Skarsgård back as Pennywise! (Why this will probably contribute to the show's success)

Get ready for the return of Pennywise! Bill Skarsgard is set to reprise his role in the upcoming It TV prequel, which is great news for the show!

Stephen King has made a career out of scaring the living hell out of readers. Possibly his most terrifying work remains It. The 1986 novel follows a group of kids terrorized by Pennywise, an evil entity who takes the form of a twisted clown. After battling him as kids, the characters reunite as adults to stop Pennywise once and for all.

The novel remains one of King’s biggest-selling novels ever and was adapted into a 1990 ABC miniseries with Tim Curry as Pennywise. While good, it was hampered by network restrictions to neuter down the darker parts of the novel. 

In 2017, director Andy Muschietti adapted the novel into a feature-length film that was closer to the darkness of King’s novel. Notably, the novel stuck to the first half of the book, focusing on the child characters. The 2019 sequel It: Chapter Two adapted the second half with the adult characters facing their fears.

The highlight of both films was Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise, making the character as nightmarish as King always intended him to be. Despite being buried in makeup, Skarsgard nailed the role, making Pennywise a classic horror movie character.

While the movies wrapped up that story, it’s little surprise TV wants to do a prequel. Enter Muschietti to create a show for HBO Max, titled Welcome to Derry. The story is set in the 1960s and focuses on the origins of Pennywise. That may be a worry for some, but having Skarsgard on board is a major help. 

Why Bill Skarsgard is needed for the It prequel show

Obviously, some fans may be wary of a prequel given the less-than-stellar track record with them. Hulu struck out with Castle Rock, a show mixing prequel versions of Salem’s Lot and Misery. There’s also how much of the horror of Pennywise comes from how we know little about him and making him more of a boogeyman.

Yet there is potential in exploring how Pennywise came to be and what warped some clown character into this monster. The novel always hinted there was something off about Derry itself, and thus, the idea that Pennywise was more a symptom of what occurred than something created out of the blue. Seeing what made this hamlet into this darker spot could be fun.

Skasgard’s star power can also help the show, establish it and bring in viewers. It’s likely his role may not be front and center to give the supporting characters a chance to shine and set up the finale of Pennywise fully transforming. Still, adding Skarsgard on is another reason to be hopeful about this show living up to the source material for one scary ride.

It and It: Chapter Two streaming on Max.