Despite being what many consider one of the greatest coming-of-age stories of all time, Stephen King’s It has always been an imperfect work of art. Each screen adaptation of the 1986 horror novel has had some noticeable flaws — the divisive reputation of It: Chapter Two (2019) is perhaps the biggest example of this. These adaptational hiccups mainly stem from the book being an unruly 1,168 pages. It is, to its core, long, unfocused, and metaphysical: a work that interrogates fear itself in a way that is hard to portray onscreen without the benefit of ambiguity that the written word contains. Nevertheless, each version of It remains compelling, and its enduring cultural presence is a testament to its resonance.
Even with the staggering runtimes, the It duology directed by Andy Muschietti (The Flash) was forced to cut major elements of the source material, condensing the most essential plot points of King’s iconic story into two blockbuster horror films. Although serviceable, the recent It movies largely miss the world-building and fantastical elements that make the small-town Maine setting so haunting and oppressive. After six years and numerous production delays, Muschietti returns yet again with showrunners Jason Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane to create It: Welcome to Derry (2025), an HBO original series that aims to fill in the blanks within the It films and explore the origins of Pennywise the Dancing Clown (reprised by Bill Skarsgård).
It: Welcome to Derry Enhances the SocioPolitical Themes of the Original Story
It: Welcome to Derry reacquaints audiences with the fictional town of Derry in 1962, 27 years before the formation of the Loser’s Club (Andy Muschietti’s adaptations shifted the time period forward from the book). Nuclear anxiety, the civil rights movement, and the Vietnam War are what define this time period. Loosely based on Mike Hanlon’s historical research that served as interludes in Stephen King’s novel, Welcome to Derry crafts an original story around the key events that make up Derry’s mysterious and cursed history. While the HBO series has been deliberately secretive about its plot, the first five episodes perfectly capture all the important aspects of It’s tone, from its mean-spirited horror to its nuanced exploration of adolescence/adulthood.
The tangential nature of It proves to be a great match for television, giving its vast narrative the proper amount of attention and care. This is especially important, given the increased emphasis It: Welcome to Derry places on the sociopolitical elements of King’s original text. The HBO show bravely centers and highlights the people of color who were previously only part of the backdrop of the mostly white-centered It mythology. Viewers see the everyday realities of Derry’s Black community, as well as Pennywise’s deep connection to the Native American tribes surrounding the town. It’s not the most perfect representation one can find, but it is an admirable effort to update the shortcomings of the source material.
Pennywise’s Hauntings are Darker, More Brutal, and Rooted in Reality
It: Welcome to Derry also impresses in raising the stakes from Andy Muschietti’s duology. While Georgie’s death is now considered a classic scene, the movies steered clear of anything that crossed a certain threshold of taste. In this series, the sense of danger is more palpable. The stakes are established early, and the hallucination sequences reach a level of brutality that will get under your skin in a way that both films rarely could. Viewers know that in some way, Pennywise’s hunger will be satiated by the end, but there’s a certain thrill and sense of dread in not knowing exactly who will survive and how. Bill Skarsgård continues to demonstrate why his Pennywise is a modern horror icon.
It has always been believed that Pennywise is a phantom that represents Derry’s festering, generational cycles of violence. However, that has never been quite realized onscreen as it is in It: Welcome to Derry. Though they are our lens into the fantastical horror, this time, it is not just the children who are being terrorized by Pennywise. Even if the adults of Derry are not always attuned to his influence, the entity thrives off the town’s bigotry, hate, and thirst for violence. The prequel series is, admittedly, only partly concerned with Pennywise’s origins, but it has a great impulse to never de-mystify the qualities that make him a compelling and horrifying villain in the first place.
A Phenomenal Ensemble Cast Broadens the Stephen King Universe
Nothing will ever replace the legacy of The Loser’s Club, but It: Welcome to Derry has such a strong ensemble cast that they are not sorely missed. There is a great mix of younger child actors and established adult talent, each of whom does their part to uphold the different tones of the story. In particular, Taylour Paige (The Toxic Avenger) and Jovan Adepo (Babylon) are continuing their status as genre talent playing Charlotte and Leroy Hanlon, the ancestors of Mike Hanlon. Kimberly Norris Guerrero is a particular standout as Rose, an indigenous woman with a special connection to Pennywise’s mythology. Meanwhile, Chris Chalk (Perry Mason) breathes new life into an iconic character from Stephen King’s mythos: Dick Hallorann.
Courtesy of Brooke Palmer/HBO
Fans have probably picked up on the little hints and nods to the wider King Universe in It: Welcome to Derry, such as a bus that is headed to Shawshank Prison or cheeky references to the all-mighty turtle god Maturin. Some might worry that this prequel might lean too heavily on these references, as many modern shows have used easter eggs as a substitute for thoughtful storytelling. Thankfully, all the King Universe references feel exactly as they are in the source material: subtle, tasteful gestures at a larger world, rather than something that takes center stage. Dick Hallorann’s involvement in Derry before the events of The Shining is explored in the novel, but it’s now portrayed with greater depth.
It: Welcome to Derry Brings Andy Muschietti’s Films Closer to the Source Material
Going into It: Welcome to Derry, there is a lot of potential to deepen the thematic elements of Stephen King’s book that the movies left behind. For avid King fans, it will surprisingly exceed these expectations. It manages to juggle telling a mostly original tale, engaging with some of the novel’s overlooked elements, and re-examining problematic aspects from the source material. Welcome to Derry goes even darker and nastier than any It adaptation has ever attempted. Yet, it also accomplishes a feeling of restraint and elegance that contrasts with the over-the-top moments. It’s a series that both justifies its existence and strengthens the film adaptations that have come before it.
The one notable downside is that this show has a clear three-season plan. Thus, for now, this first season merely teases the potential of delving deeper into Derry’s rotten history. I love what Andy Muschietti and his showrunners have done with season one. However, I sincerely hope they get the opportunity to give the rest of the novel the same treatment. If the remaining three episodes are as good as the rest, those who are fans of the multiple iterations of Stephen King’s It are in for something truly special.
It: Welcome to Derry premieres October 26 on HBO Max!
Premiere Date: October 26, 2025.
Developed by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, & Jason Fuchs.
Showrunners: Jason Fuchs & Brad Caleb Kane.
Executive Producers: Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, Jason Fuchs, Brad Caleb Kane, Shelley Meals, Roy Lee, Dan Lin, & Bill Skarsgård.
Main Cast: Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Blake Cameron James, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Madeleine Stowe, Rudy Mancuso, Clara Stack, Amanda Christine, Mikkal Karim-Fidler, & Bill Skarsgård.
Recurring Cast: Dean Yool, Alixandra Fuchs, Kimberly Norris Guerrero, Tyner Rushing, Dorian Grey, Thomas Mitchell, BJ Harrison, Peter Outerbridge, Shane Marriott, Chad Rook, Joshua Odjick, & Morningstar Angeline.
Composer: Benjamin Wallfisch.
Production Companies: HBO, Warner Bros. Television, Double Dream, & FiveTen Productions.
Network: HBO.
Episode Count: 8 (Season One).
