Finn Wolfhard on stardom at early age: No one can prepare anyone for it

Los Angeles, Jan 3
Actor Finn Wolfhard, popularly known for playing Mike Wheeler in “Stranger Things” has spoken about his return to the “IT” universe and shooting to stardom at an early age.

With the first season of spin-off series IT: Welcome to Derry now finished, Wolfhard has hinted that he could return to the IT franchise in the future. He played Richie Tozier in the 2017 film It and its 2019 sequel It: Chapter Two. His character’s influence is reflected in the 2025 spin-off series, keeping Richie’s legacy alive in the IT universe.

Speaking about whether he was aware a picture of Richie would appear in Welcome to Derry, Wolfhard said: “I knew that years ago, actually. When they first started thinking about that show, it was probably 2021.”

“(Creators) Barbara and Andy Muschietti both told me, ‘You’re involved.’ Yeah, I’m connected. I think there’s something else that will come up eventually that I’m excited for people to see.”

Reflecting on shooting to stardom at a young age, the actor said it had been a surreal and difficult experience growing up in the spotlight, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

He said: “No one can prepare anyone for it. It was incredibly exciting … but there was a period in my teenage years where it was just hard.”

IT, which is based on author Stephen King’s 1986 horror novel of the same name, follows a group of bullied kids known as the Losers’ Club in the town of Derry as they band together after children begin disappearing without a trace.

As they confront their fears, the Losers’ Club discover the terror haunting them is a shape-shifting evil that feeds on fear and never truly goes away.

As well as Wolfhard, IT stars Sophia Lillis as Bevery Marsh, Chosen Jacobs as Mike Hanlon, Jaeden Martell as Bill Denroguh, Jack Dylan Grazer as Eddie Kaspbrak, Wyatt Oleff as Stanley Uris and Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise the Dancing Clown.

Following the two movies, IT was expanded with the prequel show IT: Welcome to Derry, which details the origins of Pennywise and Derry’s cursed history.