"This is the 'Jaws' strategy"... Bill Skarsgard returns as the youngest and most chilling Pennywise in 'It: Welcome to Derry'

"We all float down here. And soon, you'll float too." Bill Skarsgard is back once again holding a red balloon. This time he is younger, more calculated, and more patient.

As the HBO original series 'It: Welcome to Derry' approaches its finale in a week, the performance of Bill Skarsgard, returning as the legendary villain 'Pennywise', has garnered praise from horror fans worldwide.

◆ The Aesthetics of Horror Learned from Spielberg's 'Jaws'

Based on Stephen King's original work, this prequel series deals with the tragedy of Derry in 1962 and has extremely restrained the appearance of Pennywise in the early episodes. Skarsgard's iconic clown makeup was fully revealed for the first time in episode 5 '29 Neibolt Street'.

Director Andy Muschietti explained, "Pennywise is like the shark from the movie 'Jaws'." He stated, "If the audience becomes too familiar with the monster, the fear loses its power. We didn't want him to appear too much on screen and be consumed," revealing that they strategically delayed his appearance to maximize tension.

◆ "Why did he become a clown?... Exploring the Origins

Co-showrunner Jason Fuchs emphasized, "What Skarsgard shows in this series are things that weren't possible in the movies."

He added, "We explore a younger Pennywise. Not just a monster that jumps out and harms people, but we delve into why this transcendent being decided to take on the form of a clown named 'Pennywise', exploring that thought process."

◆ Episode 7 'The Black Spot' Becomes a Legend

The production team's 'hiding strategy' paid off. Fans are raving about Skarsgard's performance in the recently aired episode 7 'The Black Spot', calling it "the best depiction of Pennywise across all media in film and TV." His performance, combining unpredictable madness and chilling intelligence, plunged viewers into the horror of 1962.

Now, only one episode remains. The highly anticipated series finale, which will determine the fate of Derry, will be released in a week on HBO and Netflix (global distribution).