‘Welcome to Derry’ Trailer: Pennywise Returns in ‘It’ Prequel on HBO Max

'Welcome to Derry' Trailer: Pennywise Returns in 'It' Prequel on HBO Max

The terrifying Pennywise the Clown is back, but this time he's haunting your TV screens. HBO Max has released the first trailer for "Welcome to Derry," the "It" prequel series that is set to debut this fall. More from Variety 'Harry Potter,' 'It' Prequel 'Welcome to Derry' and Other Warner Bros. Tentpole Series to Be Branded as HBO Originals Instead of Max (EXCLUSIVE) Max 2024 Teaser Debuts New 'Penguin' Footage and First Look at 'It' Prequel 'Welcome to Derry' 'White Lotus' Season 3, 'It' Prequel Series Likely Moving to 2025, HBO Boss Says "Welcome to Derry" is set 27 years before the events of the two "It" movies, which were adapted from Stephen King's iconic horror novel by director Andy Muschietti. As the story goes, the murderous entity It feeds on children before hibernating for 27 years, so the show follows It's previous killing spree before the events of the "It" films. Bill Skarsgard is back as Pennywise, and the "Welcome to Derry" cast also includes Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Madeleine Stowe and Rudy Mancuso. "This is a book we love a lot, and we felt that there was still a lot of story to be covered," Andy Muschietti and his sister and producing partner Barbara Muschietti told Entertainment Weekly. "It's so rich with characters and events, we thought we would do justice to the book and the fans by going back into this world. Specifically, we are telling the stories of the interludes, writings by Mike Hanlon based on his investigation that includes interviews he conducts with the older people in the town. InWelcome to Derry, we touch on the usual themes that were talked about in the movie — friendship, loss, the power of unified belief — but this story focuses also on the use of fear as a weapon, which is one of the things that is also relevant to our times." "Welcome to Derry" is produced by HBO and Warner Bros. Television, with a story by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs. They executive produce alongside Brad Caleb Kane, David Coatsworth, Bill Skarsgård, Shelley Meals, Roy Lee and Dan Lin. Fuchs, who wrote the teleplay for the first episode, is a co-showrunner with Kane. Watch the trailer below. Get ready to go back to where IT all began… 🎈#ITWelcometoDerryis coming this fall to HBO Max.pic.twitter.com/SOhXEA6yYe — Max (@StreamOnMax)May 20, 2025 Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival Sign up forVariety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram.

byGregory Johnson

in

May 20, 2025

‘Welcome to Derry’ Trailer: Pennywise Returns in ‘It’ Prequel on HBO Max

'Welcome to Derry' Trailer: Pennywise Returns in 'It' Prequel on HBO Max The terrifying Pennywise the Clown is back, but thi...

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Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen is forced into a draw in a showdown against ‘the world’

Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen is forced into a draw in a showdown against 'the world'

BERLIN (AP) —Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsenwas forced into a draw Monday by more than 143,000 people worldwide playing against him in a single, record-setting game. Billed as "Magnus Carlsen vs. The World,"the online match began April 4 on Chess.com, the world's largest chess website, and was the first-ever online freestyle game to feature a world champion. The mega-match ended after Team World checked Carlsen's king a third time, a stunning outcome after Chess.com had predicted Carlsen would win by a wide margin. This was the third "vs. The World" record-setting online game. In 1999,Russian grandmaster Garry Kasparovplayed against more than 50,000 people on the Microsoft Network and won after four months. Last year, Indian grandmaster Viswanathan Anand won his "vs. The World" match against nearly 70,000 players on Chess.com. 'Very, very sound chess' Carlsen,34, became the world's top-ranked player in 2010 aged 19 and has won five World Championships. He achieved the highest-ever chess rating of 2882 in 2014 and has remained the undisputed world number one formore than a decade. "Overall, 'the world' has played very, very sound chess from the start. Maybe not going for most enterprising options, but kind of keeping it more in vein with normal chess — which isn't always the best strategy, but it worked out well this time," Carlsen said in a statement Friday as Monday's draw seemed imminent. Because it was a freestyle match, the bishops, knights, rooks, queen and king were randomly shuffled around the board while the pawns remained in their usual spots. Freestyle chess is popular because it allows players to be more creative and avoid memorization. 'We made history' Team World voted on each move and each side had 24 hours to make their play. Carlsen played the white pieces. The world won on move 32 after checking Carlsen's king three times in the corner of the board where it could not escape. The rule is called "threefold repetition," meaning all of the pieces on the board are in the exact same position three times to prompt a draw. In the Chess.com virtual chat, players appeared split on whether to force the draw — and claim the glory — or to keep playing against Carlsen, even if it ultimately meant a loss. "Don't Draw! Let's keep playing Magnus," one user wrote. "This is an opportunity that won't come along again. I'd rather play the Master all the way to the end and see if we can battle it out another 20 or 30 moves! Let's have some FUN!!!" Another added: "Thanks Magnus for such a great game. We made history."

byGregory Johnson

in

May 20, 2025

Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen is forced into a draw in a showdown against ‘the world’

Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen is forced into a draw in a showdown against 'the world' BERLIN (AP) —Norwegian chess grandmaster Ma...

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Jason Kelce's Newborn Daughter Marks Major First With Mom Kylie

Jason Kelce's Newborn Daughter Marks Major First With Mom Kylie

JasonandKylie Kelce's youngest daughter,Finnley, was born in March and she's already attending events, with Kylie bringing her newborn along to the annual Eagles Autism Challenge this weekend, held by the Eagles Autism Foundation to raise money for research and programs. Both Kylie and Jason have been very active and involved with these events in the past during Jason's tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles football team. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 Over the weekend, Kylie was spotted meeting with friends and fans, with little Finnley situated comfortably in front of her in a wrap carrier.Photos of the mother of four and her newbornwere shared by the fan account kelcebrothers on Instagram. The Eagles also shared a clip of the couple's daughterBennettwith Jason meeting Swoop, the team's mascot, for the second time. Kylie and Jason's other two daughters,WyattandElliotte, were also likely at the event. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Philadelphia Eagles (@philadelphiaeagles) Jason participated in the bike race on Sunday, with the former NFL player signing autographs and connecting with fans ina photofrom the event. The 2025 charity event raised more than $10 million from 43,000 donations from all over the world. Related: Kylie Kelce Gives Straightforward Response to People Shaming Her Appearance

byGregory Johnson

in

May 19, 2025

Jason Kelce's Newborn Daughter Marks Major First With Mom Kylie

Jason Kelce's Newborn Daughter Marks Major First With Mom Kylie JasonandKylie Kelce's youngest daughter,Finnley, was born in March a...

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Tom Cruise Says He ‘Can’t See’ During ‘Final Reckoning’ Underwater Sequence Because of Intense Lighting and Had to Wear ‘125 Pound’ Diving Suit: It Took ‘Years of Development’

Tom Cruise Says He 'Can't See' During 'Final Reckoning' Underwater Sequence Because of Intense Lighting and Had to Wear '125 Pound' Diving Suit: It Took 'Years of Development'

Tom Cruise pushed himself to the physical limit for the stunts in "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning." In a recent appearance on "The Tonight Show," Cruise broke down an extended diving sequence in "Final Reckoning," in which Ethan Hunt must infiltrate a submarine. Cruise said during the scene, he "can't see" because of the underwater lights. Not only did he do the scene blind, but he had to do it while wearing a diving suit that weighed over 100 pounds. More from Variety Tom Cruise Says 'I Don't Want to Be' the Last Movie Star: 'There's So Many Other Talented Actors' Like Michael B. Jordan. 'I Want to See Them Crush It' Tom Cruise's 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' Rockets to No. 1 at Korea Box Office Tom Cruise's 'Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning' Draws Standing Ovation at New York Premiere: 'It's a Great Honor and Privilege' "A lot of times I cannot see because of the reflection of the light," Cruise explained. "So, I would go in, kind of blind, spend a lot of time on the set figuring out [the movement] as we're figuring out the shots. Then, when I'm doing it, I have a hard time. Plus the suit, when it's wet, increases in weight by about 125 pounds. So, the kind of workouts and things that I have to do just to prepare for these things, it's years of development. And yeah, and I'm producing it, so it's also that kind of thing." This isn't the first time Cruise spoke about the underwater stunt. The four-time Oscar nominee previously said he was forced to breathe his owncarbon dioxidewhile filming the submarine sequence because of the limitations of his diving gear. "I'm breathing in my own carbon dioxide," Cruise said. "It builds up in the body and affects the muscles. You have to overcome all of that while you're doing it, and be present." Watch the entire conversation below. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival Sign up forVariety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram.

byGregory Johnson

in

May 19, 2025

Tom Cruise Says He ‘Can’t See’ During ‘Final Reckoning’ Underwater Sequence Because of Intense Lighting and Had to Wear ‘125 Pound’ Diving Suit: It Took ‘Years of Development’

Tom Cruise Says He 'Can't See' During 'Final Reckoning' Underwater Sequence Because of Intense Lighting and Had to Wear ...

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Taylor Swift Debuts ‘Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor’s Version)’ in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’

Taylor Swift Debuts 'Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor's Version)' in 'The Handmaid's Tale'

Could "Reputation (Taylor's Version)" be just on the horizon? Fans have been theorizing thatTaylor Swift is readyingher announcement of the album, and on Monday night, they got a first taste of what to expect as "Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor's Version)" was featured in a new episode of "The Handmaid's Tale." Swifties have been anticipating the announcement of "Reputation (Taylor's Version)" since it became eligible for her to re-record in Nov. 2022. It currently marks the longest gap between re-records in her discography, as she last released "1989 (Taylor's Version)" in Oct. 2023, and along with "Taylor Swift (Taylor's Version)," it will be one of the last of her two albums viable for re-recording from her prior Big Machine Records contract. More from Variety Trump Claims Taylor Swift Is 'No Longer Hot' After He Posted 'I Hate Taylor Swift!' Blake Lively's Lawyers Fight Back Against Taylor Swift Blackmail Accusation: 'Unequivocally and Demonstrably False' Benson Boone, Taylor Swift, Universal Music Publishing Group Win Top Honors at 2025 BMI Pop Awards In an interview with Time in 2023, Swift spoke about revisiting the album, calling the vault tracks "fire." "It's a goth-punk moment of female rage at being gaslit by an entire social structure," she said of the original project. "I think a lot of people see it and they're just like, Sick snakes and strobe lights." There's been recent chatter that Swift could be gearing up for the official announcement of "Reputation (Taylor's Version)" at the American Music Awards on May 26. On her official merch site, fans noticed that the home page was reorganized as Apparel, Music, Accessories, and Sale — and wouldn't you know it, the first letters spell out AMAs. "Reputation," Swift's sixth album, was initially released in Nov. 2017. The project spawned a string of hit singles including "Look What You Made Me Do," "…Ready For It?," "End Game," "Gorgeous," "Delicate," and more. Listen to "Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor's Version)" in "The Handmaid's Tale" below: Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week Emmy Predictions: Talk/Scripted Variety Series - The Variety Categories Are Still a Mess; Netflix, Dropout, and 'Hot Ones' Stir Up Buzz Oscars Predictions 2026: 'Sinners' Becomes Early Contender Ahead of Cannes Film Festival Sign up forVariety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram.

byGregory Johnson

in

May 19, 2025

Taylor Swift Debuts ‘Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor’s Version)’ in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’

Taylor Swift Debuts 'Look What You Made Me Do (Taylor's Version)' in 'The Handmaid's Tale' Could "Reputation (T...

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