HBO’s IT: Welcome to Derry is a terrifying journey, with a doozy of a primary episode that lets viewers know that the collection gained’t pull any punches because it explores the horror that the entity generally known as Pennywise and/or IT inflicts on those that stay in a specific a part of Maine. Should you’re confused about how the present matches into the Stephen King universe general and even with the current films, nevertheless, we’ve bought you. Learn on for all of the spoiler-free particulars it’s essential to know earlier than watching Welcome to Derry.

When is IT: Welcome to Derry popping out?

IT: Welcome to Derry premieres on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and will probably be obtainable to stream on HBO Max. New episodes of the eight-episode season will debut weekly till the finale on Sunday, December 14, 2025.

Is Welcome to Derry based mostly on the flicks or the e book?

Welcome to Derry is loosely based mostly on the “Interludes” from Stephen King’s 1986 e book. For many who haven’t learn the more-than-1,000-page novel, the Interludes happen at completely different instances within the place the place the city of Derry is finally based. Welcome to Derry additionally takes place within the universe established in 2017’s IT and 2019’s IT: Chapter 2. That implies that the timeline differs from the e book, since these films moved up the timeline to 2016. The principle Interlude that the primary season of Welcome to Derry focuses on is the one with The Black Spot, which within the e book takes place within the Thirties. Within the collection, nevertheless, it’s set in 1962.

Co-creator Andy Muschietti additionally shared this in a panel dialogue that Reactor attended: “I noticed that there’s a lot story beginning with the Interludes of the e book. Should you’re going to go to the previous, why don’t we make a much bigger journey? And shortly sufficient, I discovered myself visualizing an invisible, hidden story inside that incomplete puzzle that Stephen King created… There’s a motive why we’re saying this story backwards that you just don’t know but. I can’t inform you. However, it simply felt thrilling.

Okay, however how a lot can an IT prequel actually shock us? We all know the place that is all going, proper?

The universe Stephen King created behind IT is huge! And with out stepping into spoilers, I’d wager a nickel that 99% of people that watch the premiere episode will stroll away shocked (amongst different feelings).

Is Invoice Skarsgård Again as Pennywise?

Sure, and Skarsgård was concerned within the thought of the prequel since he and Andy Muschietti (director of the flicks and co-creator of Welcome to Derry) had been engaged on IT: Chapter 2. “We had been kind of excessive on the expertise and speculating about making the origin story of IT the clown of Pennywise. How did It turn into the clown? And we thought that there was one thing there, an ideal story,” Muschietti shared.

IT’s malevolent doings, nevertheless, are all around the collection. The primary season additionally touches on the truth that IT has been in Derry for a protracted, very long time. We see a few of that play out in season one (although apparently we’ll dig into it extra in potential second and third seasons). One factor is for certain, nevertheless: IT has a huge impact on the ensemble solid, which incorporates Jovan Adepo, Taylour Paige, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Madeleine Stowe, and Rudy Mancuso

How scary is Welcome to Derry in comparison with the flicks and e book?

It’s very scary! Put together to be scared

Is Welcome To Derry a Stephen King multiverse present like Fort Rock?

There are nods to different characters and locations in Stephen King’s works. Shawshank jail, for instance, is talked about in passing, and a younger Dick Hallorann, who’s an older man in The Shining, is a personality within the collection performed by Chris Chalk. Making these connections to the broader King universe isn’t a giant a part of the primary season of Welcome to Derry, nevertheless, although potential future seasons of Welcome to Derry might have extra.

What has Stephen King stated about Welcome to Derry? Does it have his blessing?

In an interview with ScreenRant, co-creator Jason Fuchs stated King was “very concerned” within the improvement of Welcome to Derry. “He must learn and approve nearly all the things, however [the writers] didn’t know what his response was to the completed product till he put out a message on Threads that stated he liked the present and episode one was terrifying.”

What number of pink balloons are there? Over/Underneath 99?

There’s at the least one, in response to the most recent trailer!