HBO’s upcoming IT prequel, It: Welcome to Derry, will unveil the mysterious origins of the villainous, shapeshifting clown, shedding light on how It became Pennywise. Stephen King created one of the best villains of all time when he wrote the 1986 horror novel IT. Whether it be Tim Curry’s version or Bill Skarsgård’s version of Pennywise, the clown has haunted the nightmares of many a fan. Part of what makes It so terrifying is the mysterious nature of the creature.

However, HBO’s upcoming TV show will pull back the curtain in an exciting way. Screen Rant was present at the It: Welcome to Derry panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2025, where Andy and Barbara Muschietti promised to unveil the origins of Pennywise in the terrifying prequel show It: Welcome to Derry, which will debut in October 2025.

They discussed their process of collaborating with Stephen King on the TV show. The iconic horror author supported them in exploring the cycles of the clown, honing in on the interludes from the book. They emphasized that the show would lean into the lore of Pennywise established in the Stephen King book while also expanding it in new ways.

Andy Muschietti said this:

“How did It become Pennywise. It’s one of the mysteries in the book. They mention this character called Bob Gray. So the conversations were about that and how do we tell the story…[We’re] always respectful– there’s a line. Some mysteries remain. Some mysteries are created.”

What This Means For It: Welcome To Derry

It: Welcome To Derry Might Delve Into The Macroverse

The shapeshifting clown alien has a fascinating backstory in the IT book, and it’s exciting to know that some of that will be brought to the screen in It: Welcome to Derry. The Muschiettis’ IT film duology largely avoided delving into the complex history of Pennywise and of the macroverse. They completely left out the grudge between It and Maturin, which plays a big role in the Losers Club’s battle against Pennywise in the Stephen King novel.

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They also briefly referenced Bob Gray in IT: Chapter Two, but they didn’t even mention his name or provide an explanation of who he is. Since Andy Muschietti specifically mentioned the character, they will hopefully rectify the oversight from the movies. They could also confirm the popular theory that Bob Gray was a clown who became a victim of Pennywise.