Imagine being haunted by a character you've played, a character that has become synonymous with terror and fear. For Bill Skarsgård, the actor who brought Pennywise to life in the 2017 film adaptation of Stephen King's 'It', this was a harsh reality. But here's where it gets interesting: Skarsgård was initially hesitant to reprise his role as the demonic clown in the upcoming prequel series 'It: Welcome to Derry'. Can you blame him? Playing a character that embodies pure evil can take a toll on an actor's mental health, and Skarsgård had already explored the darker side of his craft in various other roles. According to Andy Muschietti, the co-creator and executive producer of the series, Skarsgård was hesitant to return to Derry because he had already played a lot of dark characters in the past, and the thought of delving back into that mindset was daunting. As Muschietti explained in an interview with SFX Magazine, 'I think he was a little hesitant at the beginning to play It again because he is something that he did in the past.' This is understandable, given that Skarsgård had recently played another iconic movie monster, Count Orlok, in the film 'Nosferatu'. However, after discussing the virtues of the new story, Skarsgård eventually decided to return to the role that made him a household name. But what made him change his mind? And this is the part most people miss: the upcoming series promises to deliver a proper origin story for Pennywise, exploring the character's backstory and the events that led to his transformation into the terrifying entity we all know and fear. As Barbara Muschietti, the co-creator and executive producer of the show, revealed, the team had discussed adding more exploration of Bob Gray, the human clown who was taken over by It and became Pennywise. In fact, they had even considered making a third movie about Bob Gray's story before he was consumed by the interdimensional being. While we don't know much about It's origins, other than it being an ancient entity that has visited other planets, the series will reportedly delve deeper into the story of Bob Gray, a human clown who bears a striking resemblance to Pennywise. For Skarsgård, returning to the role of Pennywise was a significant decision, given the impact it had on his life and career. As he has mentioned in the past, playing Pennywise changed his life forever, and he had to put a lot of effort into getting into the character's mindset. So, what do you think? Are you excited to see Skarsgård reprise his role as Pennywise, or do you think he should have left the character in the past? Let us know in the comments. One thing is certain: with Skarsgård on board, 'It: Welcome to Derry' is shaping up to be a must-watch series for horror fans. But here's the question: will the series be able to live up to the expectations of fans, or will it succumb to the pressure of exploring one of the most iconic villains in horror history? The debate is on, and we want to hear from you.
