Andy Muschietti says living in a dictatorship inspired It: Welcome to Derry

The upcoming film ‘It: Welcome to Derry’ will delve into the backstory of Pennywise, revealing how the town of Derry shaped the terrifying clown. Director Andy Muschietti explains the story was personally influenced by his childhood experiences growing up under a dictatorial regime.

This horror series is set in 1962, decades before the events of the first ‘IT’ movie. It shows what happened during the entity’s previous reign of terror – a time when children disappeared and the town was plagued by increasingly unsettling events.

The new film, ‘Welcome to Derry,’ is set in the same world as Stephen King’s other famous works. The trailer includes a nod to Shawshank prison, and a key character has connections to the story of ‘The Shining’.

Despite being a supernatural show, the creator says his experiences growing up under a dictatorship heavily influenced its creation.

Andy Muschietti says It: Welcome to Derry is even more relevant today

At a Los Angeles screening of ‘It: Welcome to Derry,’ director Andy Muschietti shared that he and his producer sister, Barbara, drew on their childhood experiences growing up under a dictatorship in Argentina while creating the series.

My sister and I experienced a deeply difficult childhood growing up under a dictatorship. Even after it ended, the lasting effects of the pain and suffering were still very apparent, as Deadline reported. Dictatorships never last forever, and unfortunately, this one ended in a chaotic and damaging way.

From 1976 to 1983, Argentina was ruled by a military dictatorship that violently suppressed opposition. The regime systematically targeted and killed people who disagreed with its policies – a period known as the Dirty War.

In Stephen King’s story, Pennywise causes Derry to become a strangely isolated place. When people move away, they gradually forget their memories of living there—even whether or not they encountered the creature It.

The residents who remain in the town have grown accustomed to a repeating pattern of calm followed by intense conflict, as it’s the only life they’ve ever experienced. Director Muschietti believes this situation increasingly reflects what’s happening in the world today.

Muschietti described King’s 1986 novel as an allegory for how fear is used as a tool globally.

Stephen King’s It is more than just a scary story and a tale of growing up; it’s also a powerful illustration of how fear can be used to manipulate people. While this message was important when the book was first written, it feels especially relevant today.

That’s why I see the show as a hopeful message: if we prioritize kindness and compassion, we can overcome the negativity, threats, and harshness being directed at us.

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2025-10-21 16:19