The world of IT is far from finished haunting audiences and one of its most familiar faces is officially heading back to Derry. Finn Wolfhard, best known for playing Mike Wheeler on Netflix’s Stranger Things and Richie Tozier in Andy Muschietti’s IT films, has confirmed that he is involved in a new, still-secret project connected to the ever-expanding IT universe.
The confirmation comes at a fascinating moment for both the franchise and Wolfhard himself, as HBO’s IT: Welcome to Derry deepens Stephen King’s mythology in unexpected and unsettling ways.
Welcome to Derry’s Finale Changes Everything About Pennywise
Season 1 of IT: Welcome to Derry didn’t just deliver blood-soaked horror it redefined Pennywise as something far more disturbing than a shape-shifting clown. The finale strongly suggests that Pennywise experiences time non-linearly, operating with knowledge of the future rather than reacting to events as they unfold.
This idea is chillingly reinforced when Pennywise reveals that Marge’s full name is Margaret Tozier, confirming she will eventually become the mother of Richie Tozier a central member of the Losers’ Club and one of Pennywise’s eventual killers. Rather than trying to prevent this future, Pennywise seems enraged by it, taunting Marge with the implication that her survival is inevitable.
The episode also features a brief but unmistakable cameo from Sophia Lillis as Beverly Marsh, linking the prequel series directly to the films and signaling that the boundaries between timelines in the IT universe may be thinner than expected.
Finn Wolfhard’s Long Connection to the IT Franchise
Wolfhard first played Richie Tozier in 2017’s IT and later returned in IT Chapter Two, filming the movies while simultaneously shooting Stranger Things Season 2. In hindsight, it was a surreal collision of two massive franchises, something Wolfhard has since described as overwhelming, especially at such a young age.
Since then, he has carefully expanded his career beyond acting. He’s directed films like Hell of a Summer, released music, and developed a reputation as a young filmmaker with a deep appreciation for cinema history. Still, IT remains one of his most defining roles and it’s one he clearly isn’t ready to leave behind.
In a recent interview with Esquire, Wolfhard confirmed that he has known about his continued involvement in the IT universe for years.
“When they first started thinking about that show, it was probably 2021. Barbara and Andy Muschietti both told me, ‘You’re involved.’”
He stopped short of confirming exactly what form that involvement will take, but added:
“Yeah, I’m connected. I think there’s something else that will come up eventually that I’m excited for people to see.”
Could Richie Tozier Return in Welcome to Derry– or Beyond?
While Welcome to Derry is a prequel set decades before Richie’s birth, Pennywise’s ability to perceive time non-linearly leaves the door open for creative surprises. The show’s structure, moving through different years (1962 in Season 1, 1935 in Season 2, and 1908 in Season 3), mirrors Pennywise’s infamous 27-year cycle and allows the story to explore Derry’s history in fragments.
Some fans believe Wolfhard could appear through visions, future echoes, or symbolic moments tied to Pennywise’s knowledge of what’s to come. Others speculate that his involvement could point to something even bigger.
Is an IT Chapter Three on the Way?
There’s growing speculation that Wolfhard’s “secret” project may not be Welcome to Derry at all, but rather a long-rumored IT Chapter Three. Co-creator Barbara Muschietti has previously suggested that Stephen King intentionally left narrative space between timelines, opening the door for new stories that bridge the films and television series.
If that’s the case, Wolfhard’s return as Richie Tozier could serve as a connective thread between generations of IT storytelling, tying together the prequel series, the original films, and whatever horrors may still be lurking beneath Derry’s streets.
From Hawkins to the Sewers of Derry
With Stranger Things now wrapped up and its young cast stepping into the next phase of their careers, Wolfhard’s return to IT feels less like nostalgia and more like evolution. Rather than being trapped by his early success, he appears to be reclaiming one of the most iconic roles on his own terms.
Whether he resurfaces in Welcome to Derry, headlines a future IT film, or appears in an entirely unexpected form, one thing is clear: Pennywise’s story isn’t over, and neither is Finn Wolfhard’s place in it.
Whatever form it takes, Finn Wolfhard’s return to the IT universe proves that Derry still has unfinished business and Pennywise isn’t done reminding us of it.
