‘IT: Welcome to Derry’ Creators Reveal How Surprise Finale Cameo Reframes Key ‘IT: Chapter Two’ Moment
The first season of IT: Welcome to Derry ended with a chilling twist that ties directly into the iconic film franchise — and according to the creators, the surprise cameo adds an entirely new layer of meaning to a pivotal moment from IT: Chapter Two.
Co-creators Andy Muschietti and Jason Fuchs have confirmed that Sophia Lillis returned as young Beverly Marsh in the Season 1 finale epilogue, a last-minute decision that deepens the connection between the HBO Max prequel series and Muschietti’s two feature films.
A Last-Minute Return for Beverly Marsh
Muschietti, who directed the finale titled “Winter Fire,” told Entertainment Weekly that bringing Lillis back was not part of the original plan:
“It was important for me to make a stronger connection to the movies. The idea of bringing Beverly back in the epilogue was a last-minute idea.”
The emotional scene shows Beverly and her father grieving after her mother’s suicide at Juniper Hill Asylum, where she had been institutionalized. The moment sets up a haunting encounter that mirrors one from the 2019 sequel.
A Scene That Rewrites Its Own Future
In the finale, an elderly Ingrid (Joan Gregson)—the same woman who later appears as Mrs. Kersh in IT: Chapter Two—walks into the room and comforts Beverly with a familiar and ominous line:
“Oh dear, don’t be sad. You know what they say about Derry; no one who dies here ever really dies.”
This callback directly echoes Ingrid’s terrifying conversation with Jessica Chastain’s adult Beverly in IT: Chapter Two, but the show’s creators say this earlier encounter changes the impact of the film version.
Fuchs explained:
“That scene takes on a different meaning when you go back and rewatch. Beverly might not remember that encounter, but somewhere that’s deep in the recesses of her mind. Now you understand why It would choose that form to take.”
The prequel now reveals that Beverly’s most traumatic childhood memory is tied to an early confrontation with a shape-shifting entity using Mrs. Kersh’s form — giving the 2019 film’s sequence a psychological echo that wasn’t previously known.
More Losers Club Connections in the Finale
The finale also features another nod to the original films: a wanted poster of Richie, featuring Finn Wolfhard’s face. Fuchs said that once they committed to the Beverly cameo, it opened the door to additional film tie-ins.
“Once we made the decision to see the wanted poster of Richie… it suddenly whet our appetites to see a little bit more of the Losers from that first film,” he said.
Strengthening the Bridge Between Series and Films
Set before the events of IT: Chapter One and Chapter Two, IT: Welcome to Derry dives deeper into Pennywise’s origins and the cyclical horror gripping the town. The Beverly cameo cements the prequel’s place in the larger canon and provides fans with a deeper understanding of how trauma follows the Losers Club through childhood and adulthood.
With Season 1 now streaming on HBO Max, and the show’s finale sparking new discussion among fans, the series has successfully reignited interest in the IT universe — and strengthened its narrative ties to the films in unexpected ways. For more TV news, horror updates, and streaming coverage, stay connected with InvestRecords.com.
