The ages of the kids and adults of IT: Welcome to Derry are subtly revealed and hinted at in the first two episodes of the HBO Max series. Serving as the prequel to Andy Muschietti's IT and IT: Chapter Two, the series follows Pennywise's emergence in 1962 (27 years before the events of the first film) as he torments a new group of children to feed his hunger. Welcome to Derry sheds some light on how terrifying Pennywise was before the first movie, while also showing that the ancient entity didn't hold back in terms of brutally killing children.
What makes Welcome to Derry unique from the first movie is that it was easy to deduce the characters' ages because they are all attending Derry High at the same time, unlike in IT, where it took place during the summer.
How Old Are Lilly, Ronnie, Will, & More in 'IT: Welcome to Derry'
Lilly Bainbridge - Clara Stack
- Character age: 12-13
- Actor age: 15
At the center of the story in IT: Welcome to Derry is Lilly Bainbridge, a student from Derry High who is still grieving the death of her father and blames herself for it. For the uninitiated, Derry High is a school that encompasses both junior and senior high school in Derry, Maine, serving students from grades 6 to 12 (aged between 11 and 18).
Welcome to Derry Episode 1 established that Matty Clements and Lilly were the same age, mainly because they are close, and Matty even tried to kiss her while they were on a rooftop. Based on a line of dialogue from one of the theater staff who asked Ronnie about Matty in the prequel's scary opening scene, it was implied that Matty was around 12 years old (considering that a newspaper clipping later confirmed that Ronnie is the same age).
This meant that Lilly would also be around the same age, meaning that she could either be 12 or 13 years old during the events of Welcome to Derry.
Veronica "Ronnie" Grogan - Amanda Christine
- Character age: 12
- Actor age: 16
Veronica "Ronnie" Grogan is one of the survivors of Pennywise's cruelest trick in IT: Welcome to Derry Episode 1 alongside Lilly Bainbridge. She works part time with her father at the Capitol theater where Matty Clements was last seen alive and where the killer clown's massacre took place.
At the 39:36 mark of Episode 1, a newspaper clipping confirmed Ronnie is 12 years old because she was cited as the only key witness who was the last person who saw Matty alive:
"According to police sources, the boy was last seen the night of January 4th at the Capitol Theater by the daughter of a theater employee, an unidentified 12 year old girl."
Marge - Matilda Lawler
- Character age: 12-13
- Actor age: 17
Marge is Lilly's bestfriend who is trying to fit into the group of popular girls, the Pattycakes, at Derry High. Marge's biggest fear in Welcome to Derry is being left out of the cool girls, which is why she always try the hardest to please her peers.
Given that she is classmates with Lilly, it's reasonable to assume that Marge is also around 12 to 13 years old during the events of Welcome to Derry.
Will Hanlon - Blake Cameron James
- Character age: 12
- Actor age: 15
Will Hanlon is an important character in IT: Welcome to Derry because he has ties to the original Losers' Club from the IT movies (read more about the full list Welcome to Derry Characters related to IT protagonists here). Will is the father of Mike Hanlon, a member of the Losers' Club who eventually defeated Pennywise 54 years later in 2016.
Episode 2 of the prequel series confirmed that Will is 12 years old, and he will soon turn 13 in August 1962.
Teddy Uris - Mikkal Karim-Fidler
- Character age: 12
- Actor age: 15
Teddy Uris is another character related to the original Losers' Club from IT. Given that he tragically died in Episode 1's wild ending, his fate made him Stanley Uris' uncle rather than his father (since the movie confirmed that Stan's dad was still alive in 1989).
While the prequel didn't directly address his name, some have assumed that he is 12 years old, the same age as Matty and the other original Losers' Club from the first movie.
Phil Malkin - Jack Molloy Legault
- Character age: 13
- Actor age: 15
Phil Malkin is another tragic character who suffered a grim fate in Episode 1 after Pennywise (as the monster baby demon) attacked the kids inside Capitol Theater. While he looks generally older than Teddy, the fact that they always hang around and close with each other suggests that they are classmates.
Still, based on his looks, it's reasonable to assume that Phil is slightly older than Teddy and Ronnie, with him being 13 years old rather than 12.
Susie Malkin - Matilda Legault
- Character age: 7-8
- Actor age: ~9/10
Susie Malkin is the youngest sister of Phil who unexpectedly became one of Pennywise's victims in the gruesome murder sequence in Episode 1's final sequence.
Based on her appearance and the need for a babysitter, there is a good chance that Susie is around seven to eight years old during the events of the prequel, mainly because she can be seen doodling cursive writing (which is a writing exercise aimed at the second and third grade in the United States).
Matty Clements - Miles Ekhardt
- Character age: 12
- Actor age: Unknown
Newspaper clippings and Episode 1 clues confirmed that Matty Clements is 12 years old, the same age as Ronnie. While he is 12 years old during the time of his death, Welcome to Derry revealed crucial details about Matty, such as his continued use of a pacifier despite his age and the habit of sneaking into movie theaters to escape home.
Charlotte Hanlon - Taylour Paige
- Character age: 30-40
- Actor age: 35
Charlotte Hanlon is Mike Hanlon's grandmother and Will's mother. Welcome to Derry didn't focus much on her age, but it's safe to assume that she would fall between 30 to 40 years old because of her appearance and extensive background in teaching through the years.
Major Leroy Hanlon - Jovan Adepo
- Character age: 38-40
- Actor age: 37
Major Leroy Hanlon has an extensive background in the military and he even fought in the Korean War. Given that he already holds the rank of Major in 1962 (the year when Welcome to Derry is set), it's reasonable to assume that he would fall under 38 to 40 years old, considering that the average age of those in the O-4 military paygrade is from that bracket.
2017's IT confirmed that Leroy survived the events of Welcome to Derry, meaning that he would be around 65 to 67 years old during the first movie.
