Bill Skarsgard's Pennywise in IT Welcome to Derry trailer 2
By
Adrienne Tyler
Published 29 minutes ago
Adrienne Tyler is a movies & TV features writer, with a focus on horror. She has written for Netflix, FanSided, & more. She was a regular guest on the Netfreaks podcast and was a YouTuber at some point. Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once.
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Pennywise has made his first appearance in It: Welcome to Derry, and despite criticism and complaints, the show made the right decision by waiting until episode 5. After the success of Andy Muschietti’s It movies, this universe is now expanding with the prequel series It: Welcome to Derry, set in 1962.
Welcome to Derry follows a new group of kids who come across the evil, shapeshifting creature known as It. Parallel to their stories is that of the military, who are looking to capture and weaponize It, with Dick Hallorann (Chris Chalk) and Leroy Hanlon (Jovan Adepo) leading the mission.
Before Welcome to Derry’s release, Pennywise was confirmed to appear, but his return was later revealed to be delayed. Pennywise’s presence was teased in episode 3, and it wasn’t until episode 5 that he finally showed up.
It: Welcome To Derry Was Right To Wait Until Midseason For Pennywise's Official Debut
Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise in It Welcome to DerryMovieStillsDB
Pennywise first appeared at the end of Welcome to Derry episode 3, hidden in the shadows in a photo taken by Will Hanlon at the cemetery. Pennywise showed up in the Hanlons' front yard at night in episode 4, and his signature red balloon appeared throughout the episode. The Dancing Clown finally made a proper appearance in season 5, when he lured the kids into the sewers.
As mentioned above, it had already been revealed that Pennywise wasn’t going to appear right away in Welcome to Derry. Producer Barbara Muschietti explained that it was important for them to treat Pennywise as an unpredictable character, and they had to bring him out “in the right moments”, with Andy Muschietti adding that the show is a slow burn.
Surely, Pennywise’s return was one of the most appealing elements of Welcome to Derry, and with that in mind, it’s understandable that many were disappointed to wait to see the clown. However, delaying Pennywise’s appearance allowed Welcome to Derry to properly introduce the new characters, their backstories, problems, fears, and stories.
This also helped Welcome to Derry focus on other shapes of It, as many tend to forget that, while Pennywise might be its preferred shape, it’s not the only one, and it can take any shape it wants. Pennywise’s delayed appearance made way for other, terrifying shapes (like Lily’s father and Marge’s snail-like eyes), without distracting the audience from the characters’ stories, and without knowing exactly when he would appear.
How Pennywise's It: Welcome To Derry Appearance Pays Off In Episode 5
Pennywise reaching his hand out among flames in Welcome to Derry
Welcome to Derry took five episodes to finally bring Pennywise back, and it was a very satisfying moment, thanks to the previous episodes. Since the first episode, Welcome to Derry has been gradually building up Pennywise’s appearance, with the first real tease at it coming in episode 3, in the above-mentioned photo.
By then, the kids had already come across different shapes of It and seen Pennywise’s silhouette, with no idea of how he actually looked. It transforming from Matty into Pennywise is a genius move and is effective in scaring both the characters and the audience, both of whom had been waiting for this moment in different ways – the kids dreaded it while the audience eagerly waited for it.
Pennywise isn’t in Welcome to Derry episode 5 for long, which is also good for his first appearance on the show, as he leaves the audience wanting more. It’s to be seen what Pennywise will continue to do in It: Welcome to Derry, as well as what other shapes it will take.
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It: Welcome to Derry
10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-MA Horror Mystery Drama Release Date October 26, 2025 Network HBO Directors Andy Muschietti Writers Jason Fuchs, Stephen King, Austin Guzman Franchise(s) IT
8 Images
Dick Hallorann with his eyes wide looking angry in It Welcome to Derry
Bill Skarsgard's Pennywise in IT Welcome to Derry trailer 2Image courtesy of HBO Max
Kid similing in IT Welcome To Derry
It: Welcome to Derry teens looking surprised at something off screen
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Taylour Paige
Charlotte Hanlon
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Jovan Adepo
Leroy Hanlon
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It: Welcome to Derry
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