Summary
- IT: Welcome to Derry will be a prequel series focusing on Pennywise's origin story in the 1960s.
- The series will feature a talented cast with Bill Skarsgård returning as Pennywise.
- IT: Welcome to Derry will premiere in October, making it perfect for Halloween viewing.
HBO’s horror series IT: Welcome to Derry is one of the most anticipated shows of 2025, and now, as Stephen King fans are champing at the bit to get their eyes on the spin-off, a perfect release window and "chilling" poster have finally been revealed. Directed by Andy Muschietti, who also helmed the IT duology, Welcome to Derry will be a prequel to the movies and also see the return of Bill Skarsgård as the killer clown.
Along with Skarsgård, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, Taylour Paige and James Remar will join the cast, as well as Stephen Rider, known for playing Blake Tower in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series Daredevil. Although the original 1990 IT movie was shot in Pickering and Port Hope, Ontario, both of which are popular filming locations for small-town U.S. Shows, this time, most of the scenes for IT: Welcome to Derry were shot at the Delta Secondary School in Hamilton, Ontario. Throughout the nine episodes, the series will take place in the 1960s before the events of the film and will also include the origin story of Pennywise the Clown.
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It: Welcome to Derry Gets a New Sinister Poster and Spooky Release Window
Created by legendary horror writer Stephen King in his 1986 novel, IT was previously adapted into a television miniseries in 1998, which has remained one of the horror genre’s greats. IT: Welcome to Derry was given the green light by HBO Max back in 2023, and since then, fans have been treated to trailers, cast reveals and story insights like how the series will explore the tragedy of what happened during The Black Spot timeline, which is found in Stephen King's IT novel in the second interlude and only briefly mentioned in the first film. Now, to add to the list of exciting updates, HBO Max has confirmed that It: Welcome to Derry will release this October, which will make it the ideal viewing for Halloween.
As well as when fans can expect to see IT: Welcome to Derry, HBO Max also confirmed that the series will have a panel at San Diego Comic-Con this year, while teasing a poster that showed off a spooky forest road with a car driving down as it passed a sign for Derry with one of Pennywise's classic red balloons floating in the sky. Sometimes, it's more than enough for fans to witness the balloon, let alone anything else to set their hearts racing, but this new poster has surely been a big hit.
In the comment section of the post, one freaked-out but eager fan said, "That red balloon placement is *chef's kiss* - already giving me chills and we haven't even seen Pennywise yet. HBO's horror game has been so strong lately," while another stated that the upcoming series is "must see TV." However, it seems like the series is also putting the fear into fans who have seen the previous films and are already feeling traumatized at the prospect of seeing one iconic image. "If we see a single paper boat, we're turning around."
Director Andy Muschietti had previously revealed that he had an outline for a second and third season of It: Welcome to Derry, which would take place in 1935 and 1908, respectively, so its first season on HBO needs to come in firing with both guns when it lands this Halloween season. Although there isn't a precise release date just yet, more news on when it will premiere should be revealed in the coming months.
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- Release Date
- October 26, 2025
- Network
- HBO
- Directors
- Andy Muschietti
- Writers
- Jason Fuchs, Stephen King, Austin Guzman
- Franchise(s)
- IT
WHERE TO WATCH
- Cast
- Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, James Remar, stephen rider, Matilda Lawler, Amanda Christine, Clara Stack, Arian S. Cartaya, Peter Outerbridge, Chris Chalk, Rudy Mancuso, Alixandra von Renner, Dmitry Chepovetsky, Eli Katz, Mark MacRae, Lochlan Ray Miller, Maya McNair, Maya Misaljevic, Hannah Storey, Thomas Mitchell, Chad Rook, Michael Koras, Robert Clarke, Brittany Spiteri, Sean Sansom
- Creator(s)
- Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, Jason Fuchs
Source: Twitter/X