IT: Welcome to Derry premiere: Is Teddy or Phil dead?

Coming off of the premiere of IT: Welcome to Derry on HBO last night, we absolutely understand if there is a measure of confusion.

After all, have we just witnessed the death of much of the show’s young cast? Teddy, Phil, and Susie may have all been killed in that incident at the movie theater. We saw Lilly holding someone’s arm and while you can argue that someone may have still made it through, that is hardly a guarantee.

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As it turns out, it does appear as though everything that you’ve seen on the show so far is by design — in particular when it comes to this cliffhanger. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, executive producer and director Andy Muschietti noted that a part of the driving force here was trying to differentiate the show from the Losers’ Club in the movies:

…You want to create an event that gives the audience a sense that if these kids were smoked at the end of the first episode, nothing is sacred … In this world, no one will be safe. So, technically, that was the intention.

Also, it responds to the idea of subverting certain aspects … We did two movies already. One thing that we didn’t want was to — given that we’re using the same tone and the style as the movies — is get people too familiar [with the story mechanics]. We really wanted to create a subversion to get people excited. It has to do also with raising the volume a little in terms of intensity and spectacle.

With all of this in mind, we are happy to move a little bit more into uncharted territory. Sure, we recognize that Pennywise does survive to make it to the movies down the road, but how does it happen? There are still questions there.

Related – Learn more right now entering the next IT: Welcome to Derry episode, including an early release

What did you think about the premiere of IT: Welcome to Derry last night?

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