Port Hope is gearing up for more filming over the next two weeks as a production comes to town.
The Municipality of Port Hope recently confirmed that the work is being done on the production Greetings from Fairview.
There is some speculation on local social media that the town is being transformed again into Derry, Maine for Welcome to Derry, the HBO Max prequel series to the modern IT films that also had scenes filmed in Port Hope. IMDB states Welcome to Derry “will follow the events in the 1960s, the time leading up to the events of the first film."
In fact, Jim’s Pizza on Walton Street has been transformed on the exterior as part of the Chinese restaurant Jade of the Orient featured in the IT films and novel by Stephen King.
According to reports, production for Welcome to Derry began last week in Toronto. A Hollywood North Buzz story from February also stated Welcome to Derry would begin filming in Toronto in May and that the working title was "Fairview."
Lorraine Bulger, film liaison for the Municipality of Port Hope, remained steadfast though in telling Northumberland 89.7 that “the filming title is Greetings from Fairview.”
“The project itself is set in the 1960s, so that’s what a lot of the set dressing that people will see in the downtown, that’s what’s happening," she added. "The storefronts and some of the municipal locations like Memorial Park and Rotary Park are being set-dressed to reflect 1960s.”
Residents can expect temporary parking impacts, road closures and intermittent traffic stops that may cause delays until the end of the month (May 24-30). Pedestrian traffic and storefront access will be maintained.
Bulger said patience and understanding from residents would be appreciated while crews are filming.
“Their main concern is not having something modern in the background,” she said. “The idea is once they’ve actually filmed a particular scene that they’re doing, they’re going to open up as much as they can as far as the parking and the roads and just sort of move around with each scene. They’re trying to be as accommodating as they can be and we’re hoping merchants, staff, customers, everybody that has to come into the downtown will hopefully be as accommodating and patient as they can be as well.”
“This HBO series has nine episodes so they will be returning at different times throughout the year. They have sort of established Port Hope as their location for visual continuity,” Bulger added.
Listen to the full interview with Lorraine Burger below: