It: Welcome to Derry showrunners talk about the finale of the supernatural horror, call it “haunting and magical”

The much-awaited finale of It: Welcome to Derry is finally out, offering an end that's incredibly chilling and something not many fans might have expected. The last episode starts with the town's residents frightened by the sudden fog, all thanks to Pennywise.

The scenes then shift to Derry High School, where all students gather in the auditorium for the all-assembly. And once everyone has arrived, Principal Dunleavy announces a special guest: Pennywise the Dancing Clown!

The moment Pennywise shows up, the students are horrified, and it becomes one of the most brutal scenes when the clown kills the Principal by snapping his neck and turning the lifeless body into a grotesque prop.

Considering the events in the last episode, executive producer and director of It: Welcome to Derry, Andy Muschietti mentioned that the finale was "haunting and magical and spectacular". It was meant to feel emotionally haunting, visually striking, and almost dreamlike, as if it's a combination of brutality and a strange sense of beauty.

For the director, episode 8 isn't just about bloodshed in the town but symbolizes the power of the main antagonist. Muschietti also focused on atmosphere, dread, and spectacle coming together.

---

It: Welcome to Derry's executive producer talks about the haunting finale

As previously explained, It: Welcome to Derry concluded in the most chilling way, offering a closer look at what happens to Derry and the town's residents and students in the end, and who becomes Pennywise's target in the end.

After calling the last episode haunting and magical, Andy Muschietti also explained that the idea of IT spreading through a fog was a creative choice unique to the series and not something taken from Stephen King’s book.

His goal was to show IT not simply as a single creature, but as a force that grows and advances across space. The executive producer and director said:

"When you see the star crashing, the talons are surrounded by this smoke. What is that smoke? That’s part of the physicality, body of this thing."

Muschietti continued:

"And in order to see how this thing expanded, we created the fog…and the whole Pied Piper thing with IT, taking the kids for [a] travel snack."

The EP mentioned that by connecting the fog to IT’s physical presence, they were able to highlight it as a part of the creature, much like the smoke and strange matter that surround it in other forms. The fog also allowed him to visually express IT’s control over children, comparing it to a Pied Piper-like figure leading them away as expendable prey.

Also Read: Is Matty alive in IT: Welcome to Derry? Here’s what we know

---

How did it: Welcome to Derry episode 8 (finale) end? A quick recap

The finale of It: Welcome to Derry reveals that Pennywise no longer needs manipulation to target children. He fills the entire town with fog and then goes straight to the High School to inject fear and mentally overpower the students before he transports them to the frozen river.

On the other side, the dagger that was meant to protect the children reveals its darker nature. While it shields them from Pennywise, it slowly overwhelms Lily’s mind. And once the dagger is taken from her, Lily regains control and continues to focus on the mission.

As the episode continues, the adults soon learn the truth: the dagger can replace the destroyed pillar and imprison Pennywise again, but only at a specific location near the deadwood tree. The moment becomes tense when Pennywise tells Margie that she is connected to Richie Tozier.

This shows that Pennywise doesn’t experience time the way humans do. He can see the past, present, and future all at once. With Dick Hallorann using his psychic powers and Richie’s spirit quietly helping from beyond, the children manage to plant the dagger into the ground, trapping Pennywise again.

After the fight is over, Derry becomes quiet. The town is filled with sadness, people slowly begin to forget what happened, and the characters say their goodbyes as they move on with their lives.

However, the ending of It: Welcome to Derry makes one thing clear: Pennywise isn’t gone forever. He has only been put back to sleep, and one day, he will come back again.

---

Also Read: Why won’t there be a Bel-Air Season 5? Reasons explored

Continue exploring SoapCentral for regular updates on TV shows.