Welcome to Derry Release Date & Time: When & Where to Watch Stephen King’s New It Prequel

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As a horror fan, I’m really excited about what Andy Muschietti is doing with the next installment in this iconic franchise. He’s taking us back to Derry, Maine, but this time with an eight-episode series that’s actually a prequel. Set to premiere on October 26, 2025, it finally promises to reveal the backstory of Pennywise and explain everything that’s haunted this town for so long. It’s a deep dive into the origins of the clown and the scars he left behind, and I, for one, can’t wait to see it.

This new project is a tribute to, and a continuation of, the stories told in the 2017 and 2019 films, which were originally based on Stephen King’s 1986 novel, It. Welcome to Derry will expand on the existing story, delve into different time periods of fear, and show how the town’s history connects to the world around it. Now that the release date is set and the first episode is almost here, both longtime fans and new viewers are getting ready to return to the terrifying world of Derry.

Welcome To Derry Will Feature Pennywise’s Small Screen Debut

The upcoming series takes audiences back to Derry, Maine, in 1962 – long before the events of the recent films. Created by Andy and Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs, the first season will have eight episodes. The story centers on Charlotte and Leroy Hanlon (played by Taylour Paige and Jovan Adepo), a couple who move to Derry with their son, Will (Blake Cameron James). Bill Skarsgård returns as the terrifying Pennywise, and is also involved as an executive producer to maintain the connection to the films. The cast also features Chris Chalk as Dick Hallorann, James Remar as General Francis Shaw, and supporting actors Madeleine Stowe, Stephen Rider, and Rudy Mancuso.

The story begins with the Hanlon family moving to Derry around the time a young boy goes missing, quickly pulling them into the town’s unsettling secrets. The show delves deeper into the complex history of Derry, including racial prejudice and a past arson attack known as the “Black Spot” – an event mentioned in Stephen King’s book. Trailers suggest the series will explore both the origins of Pennywise and the meteor crash that brought him to Earth. Director Muschietti has stated the show will unfold across multiple time periods – 1962, 1935, and 1908 – reflecting the 27-year cycle of Pennywise’s reappearances in the novel. The first season will begin to reveal the rich backstory, but won’t share everything at once.

The show successfully captures the look and feel of the original films, with its wide-screen format, dark visuals, and focus on building suspense and a sense of recurring history. The 1962 setting provides rich period details – like Cold War anxieties and the growth of suburbs – and allows Pennywise to tap into new fears related to family struggles, early civil rights issues, and the idea that evil can grow from ignored problems. By centering the story on the Hanlon family, the series offers a fresh perspective, shifting focus from the teenage group of friends to their parents and other new residents, which adds more emotional depth.

When, Where and How to Watch Welcome to Derry

The new series, IT: Welcome to Derry, will debut on HBO in the US on Sunday, October 26, 2025. It will also be available around the same time on HBO services in some other countries. Each Sunday, a new episode will be released, for a total of eight weeks, allowing viewers to follow the story as it develops. Here’s the planned schedule for the episodes:

  1. “The Pilot” – October 26, 2025
  2. “The Thing in the Dark” – November 2, 2025
  3. “Now You See It” – November 9, 2025
  4. Episode 4 – November 16, 2025
  5. Episode 5 – November 23, 2025
  6. Episode 6 – November 30, 2025
  7. Episode 7 – December 7, 2025
  8. Episode 8 – December 14, 2025

As a viewer, you’ll be able to watch if you’re already an HBO subscriber in the U.S., and the good news is the premiere episode is set to hit screens at 9 p.m. Eastern, 6 p.m. Pacific on October 26th. If you’re watching from outside the U.S., check your local HBO platform or streaming service – like HBO Europe, for example. What’s interesting is they’re releasing episodes weekly, which is a nice throwback to how TV used to be. It’s a smart move, really, because it keeps the conversation going and gets everyone talking and speculating each week instead of binging it all at once.

The premiere date of October 26th was carefully chosen to coincide with the peak horror season, between Halloween and the winter holidays. This eight-week run will extend into early December, a time when there are fewer big movie releases, giving the series a better chance to gain attention. Instead of typical advertising, the promotion will focus on engaging content like trailers revisiting the show’s setting, social media interaction, and Q&A sessions with the director and cast.

The Highly Anticipated Prequel Is a Must-Watch for Stephen King (and Pennywise) Fans

This series represents a significant turning point for horror on television. Directed by Andy Muschietti and supported by a talented cast and crew dedicated to honoring and growing the franchise, it’s designed to appeal to both newcomers and longtime fans. The show’s weekly release schedule creates suspense over two months, encouraging viewers to speculate, discuss, and fully immerse themselves—a different approach than the instant-viewing experience of most streaming shows.

The show’s release timing and length appear carefully planned. Launching in late October positions it perfectly for the Halloween season, and the eight-week run leading into December avoids direct competition with movies in theaters. HBO is promoting it like a major event, not just a standard limited series.

IT: Welcome to Derry‘s first episode (The Pilot) drops on HBO this Sunday October 26 at 9:00 PM ET.

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2025-10-21 01:11