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2023 saw SAG-AFTRA and WGA members strike in what were surely two of the most significant walk-outs in recent memory. Not only were actors and writers trying to secure fair wages and contracts, they were seeking protections against artificial intelligence<\/a>, which, sadly, still threatens to upend the industry and bring about an AI garbage future that people like Joe Russo can’t wait to see<\/a>. Of course, securing such vital protections came at a price, part of which being that numerous productions were delayed, including the “It” prequel series, “It: Welcome to Derry,” which was forced to make some major changes in the wake of the strikes.<\/p>\n The show started filming back in May 2023 before having to shut down in July of that year due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. In an interview for SFX Magazine<\/a>‘s November 2025 issue, executive producers Andy and Barbara Muschietti spoke about the HBO series, which also features direction from Andy on four episodes. During their discussion, they explained how production on “Welcome to Derry” was delayed and how that had a major impact on the story being told.<\/p>\n Frustratingly for those involved with the production, Barbara estimated that the “90% of three episodes” had been shot before work on the show shut down for eight months. That forced the Muschiettis and their crew to re-envision a crucial aspect of the series. “We suddenly had to work in different seasons,” said Barbara. “This is a summer show, but suddenly it wasn’t a summer show any more. We had to create a different finale with a different climate.”<\/p>\n But that wasn’t the only aspect the producers had to reconsider. “The kids were growing,” continued Barbara. “Voices were changing. Schedules of actors suddenly became hellish. So it was a huge challenge for the studio as well.”<\/p>\n