Welcome to Derry (2025)

The terrifying legend of Derry, Maine, is about to unfold like never before. Welcome to Derry, the highly anticipated prequel to IT and IT Chapter Two, is set to premiere in 2025 on HBO and Max.

With Andy Muschietti, the visionary director behind the IT films, returning to oversee the series alongside Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs, Welcome to Derry promises to expand Stephen King’s chilling universe. This nine-episode series will transport viewers to the 1960s, decades before Pennywise terrorized the Losers’ Club, uncovering the town’s dark secrets and the true origins of its most infamous nightmare.

Release Date & Episode Count

Originally slated for a 2024 debut, Welcome to Derry faced delays due to industry-wide strikes. However, production wrapped in August 2024, and the series is now in post-production, with its premiere expected sometime in 2025.

The show will consist of nine episodes, allowing for a deeper, more immersive exploration of Derry’s haunted past. Unlike the films, which condensed the story into two feature-length adaptations, the series format will allow for a slow-burning, atmospheric horror experience.

Plot: A Journey Into the Heart of Derry’s Darkness

Set 27 years before the events of IT, Welcome to Derry takes place in 1962, a time when the town’s sinister history was already deeply ingrained.

One of the key plot points is expected to be the Black Spot nightclub fire, a racially motivated attack referenced in King’s novel. This real-world horror serves as a chilling backdrop for Pennywise’s awakening, reinforcing the idea that Derry’s darkness is not just supernatural—it’s also deeply human.

But Welcome to Derry won’t just revisit known events. The series is set to introduce new characters, fresh perspectives, and untold horrors, delving deeper into the mystery of Pennywise’s origins and the true nature of the evil that lurks beneath the town. Could the show reveal that Pennywise is just one manifestation of a much larger, ancient force?

Cast: Who’s Starring in Welcome to Derry?

HBO has assembled a stellar cast, featuring:

• Jovan Adepo (Watchmen, Babylon)
• Chris Chalk (Perry Mason)
• Taylour Paige (Zola)
• James Remar (Dexter, Black Lightning)

While specific roles have not been confirmed, these actors are expected to bring new, complex characters into the IT universe, each with their own terrifying journey through Derry’s cursed streets.

The biggest question remains: Will Bill Skarsgård return as Pennywise?

Skarsgård has teased that the series explores aspects of the character not seen in the films, suggesting that even if he does reprise his role, Pennywise might be portrayed in an entirely new light—perhaps revealing the clown’s earliest days or even his first victims.

Why Welcome to Derry Could Be Even Scarier Than IT

Unlike the IT films, which relied on cinematic tension and fast-paced horror, Welcome to Derry will embrace a serialized approach, allowing for:
✅ Slow-burn psychological horror rather than jump-scares
✅ A deeper focus on the town’s supernatural and human evil
✅ An expansion of Stephen King’s mythology, revealing Pennywise’s ancient roots

By moving beyond the familiar Losers’ Club storyline, the series has the opportunity to explore Derry’s long, bloody history, introducing new victims and fresh terrors lurking beneath the town.

Final Thoughts: The Return of Pennywise’s Nightmare-Fueled Legacy

With a talented cast, an experienced creative team, and a story that promises to push the boundaries of horror, Welcome to Derry is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated horror releases of 2025.

If the IT films were a rollercoaster of fear, then this series will be a haunted maze—slow, methodical, and deeply unsettling.