‘It: Welcome to Derry’ Creator Reveals the Reason Behind Episode 1’s Unusual Monster

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Okay, let me tell you about the first episode of HBO Max’s It: Welcome to Derry. Forget what you think you know from the Stephen King novel, because this isn’t a typical prequel. The pilot throws a major curveball, signaling that anything can happen in 1962 Derry. And the opening? Absolutely wild. We’re introduced to a manifestation of ‘It’ that is… well, let’s just say it’s bizarre. I’m talking a mutant, two-headed flying bat baby! It’s a huge departure from the Pennywise we all remember, and honestly, it caught me completely off guard. But co-creator Jason Fuchs actually has a really solid explanation for why this strange creature works within the story. It’s a bold choice, and it definitely sets the stage for something unpredictable.

While speaking with Decider, showrunner Fuchs discussed the pilot episode, explaining their goal was to begin the series in a way that felt both recognizable and new. He noted that, like the book and film, the story starts with a child being taken – in this case, Matty Clements – but they wanted to present it in a unique way. Fuchs also shared the reasoning behind making the first appearance of ‘It’ a mutant flying baby.

We initially planned to avoid using Pennywise and instead explore a different form of ‘It’ – one that played on the anxieties specific to the 1962 Cold War era. We focused on fears surrounding nuclear radiation, fallout, and mutation, and that’s how we developed the opening sequence of the story.

The Introduction in ‘It: Welcome to Derry’ Was One of the Best Things About Episode 1


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Every previous adaptation of It has started with a memorable opening scene. In both the 1990 and 2017 versions, Georgie Denbrough’s first encounter with Pennywise effectively set the stage for the horror to come. The new chapter, It: Welcome to Derry, follows suit. It begins with Matty Clements fleeing a movie theater and getting into a strange family’s car. He had been watching the 1962 musical The Music Man, starring Robert Preston.

Viewers of the pilot episode will recall that music is central to both the beginning and the end. It perfectly complemented the introduction, establishing the mood for a story about the town of Derry confronting Stephen King’s most terrifying villain. Fuchs shared the reasoning behind his choice to include the music.

We initially considered writing an original song for the opening, but it seemed like too much work. We also wanted the scene to feel authentic to the time period, since the story already had a lot of dramatic and genre-based elements. We needed something that would make it feel truly connected to the moment, and that’s why we chose a song from The Music Man.

We were scouting locations and stumbled upon this amazing piece from ‘The Music Man’ – it originally came out in ’62. Then it hit me: the opening number, ‘Ya Got Trouble,’ would be perfect to play over a black screen before our first scene. It’s such a cool, unsettling way to use a usually upbeat Broadway tune – it creates this really eerie vibe right away.

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2025-10-29 19:18