After a few weeks of anticipation, Bill Skarsgård returns as Pennywise in the fifth episode of IT: Welcome to Derry, titled “29 Neibolt Street.” While his appearance and Skarsgård’s involvement were known beforehand and heavily promoted, the series has mostly shown other manifestations of “It,” with only brief, unclear glimpses of the clown. That changes with this episode. Spoiler alert for episode 5 of IT: Welcome to Derry!
Although Episode 5 is named after the house on Neibolt Street, the episode’s true focus is what’s hidden underneath – the sewer system and Pennywise’s lair. While soldiers like Dick Hallorann and Leroy Hanlon approach through the old well, the children are led there by Matty, who seemingly escaped from It. However, this Matty is actually another of Pennywise’s disguises, and his terrifying transformation into the Dancing Clown is one of the most shocking and effective moments of the series so far.
Welcome To Derry Fully Pays Off Pennywise’s Delay & Origins (& Sets Up Better Things)
Delaying Pennywise’s appearance in Welcome to Derry served two main purposes. First, it let the filmmakers showcase more of the creature’s different appearances than they could in the IT films. Second, it created a strong sense of anticipation for when the clown would finally appear. Horror often works best when monsters are used sparingly, and this approach really pays off in the fifth episode. The moment Pennywise is revealed and attacks Lilly feels particularly impactful because the audience had to wait for it.
As a huge fan, I was so thrilled to see Bill Skarsgård return as Pennywise! Honestly, it’s like he never left. That voice… it’s still absolutely terrifying, that perfect creepy mix of innocent and pure evil. And physically, he’s just so unsettling to watch, which is exactly what you need from a clown like Pennywise – scary and a little bit ridiculous. Seeing him back really feels like things are about to get even more intense in the rest of Welcome to Derry, and I can’t wait!
Another key creative decision regarding Pennywise was developing a new backstory for the creature. This linked It more strongly to the Shokopiwah tribe and showed they possessed a way to defend against It – a dagger crafted from a piece of the cave where It originally landed on Earth.
Through a bit of luck, a crucial piece of something ends up right where Lilly is, just as Pennywise is about to attack her. It’s a somewhat convenient coincidence, but it creates a funny and surprising moment – Pennywise is clearly shocked and confused. This unexpected turn saves Lilly, but it also strongly suggests that Pennywise will be even more determined to come after her and her friends later on.
New episodes of IT: Welcome to Derry release on Sundays at 9pm ET on HBO and HBO Max.
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2025-11-25 01:10