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Based on the 1986 Stephen King novel, It: Welcome to Derry is on it’s way to streaming platforms but horror fans still have a bit of a wait ahead. The nine-episode prequel to the It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019) films will premiere on HBO in October 2025 but no specific date has been announced.
The highly anticipated series will expand the universe created by the It film franchise, taking viewers back to the haunted Derry town, albeit 27 years before the events of the first film. At the time of writing, It: Welcome to Derry has finished production after filming began in May 2023 in Port Hope and eventually wrapped up in August 2024, due to severe delays because of the writer’s strike.
The first trailer made its debut at the San Diego Comic-Con in 2025, showing fans a first glimpse of the series. However, despite the long wait, the cast list has long since been announced with Bill Skarsgard set to reprise his role as Pennywise the Clown. He will be joined by Taylour Paige (Zola), Jovan Adepo (3 Body Problem), Chris Chalk (Gotham) and James Remar (Dexter), among others.
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When will It: Welcome to Derry be released?
As of July 2025, HBO has not officially announced a specific release date for It: Welcome to Derry, but the network has confirmed that the supernatural horror series will be released in October 2025. The show will have nine episodes for its first season and will serve as a prequel to the previous two movies.
The series has taken a considerable amount of time to reach screens as production started in May 2023 but only ended in August 2024. As reported by Collider, this production delay was because of the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023. With this timeline, It: Welcome to Derry will likely be HBO’s major horror series for Halloween 2025.
The series will be made available only on HBO’s linear channel and streaming on HBO Max. Furthermore, given the platform's history, It: Welcome to Derry is expected to follow a weekly release schedule throughout October and possibly into November as well.
Cast members expected to be in It: Welcome to Derry
As mentioned above, Bill Skarsgård reprises his role as Pennywise the Dancing Clown from the previous films. While he was reportedly hesitant to return because of the demands of the character, he officially joined the cast in May 2024 and is a producer for the series. Joining him is Jovan Adepo, who stars as Leroy Hanlon, the grandfather of Mike Hanlon from the original story.
Taylour Paige plays Charlotte, Leroy's wife, and Chris Chalk portrays Dick Hallorann, a cook with “the shine” who appears briefly in the It novel. The ensemble cast also features veteran actor James Remar (Dexter), Stephen Rider (Daredevil), and Madeleine Stowe (Revenge) in recurring guest roles.
Here is a full list of the cast members:
- Jovan Adepo as Leroy Hanlon
- Chris Chalk as Dick Hallorann
- Taylour Paige as Charlotte Hanlon
- James Remar as Clint Bowers
- Stephen Rider
- Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise the Clown
- Dean Yool
- Madeleine Stowe
- Alixandra Fuchs
- Kimberly Norris Guerrero
- Tyner Rushing
- Dorian Grey
- Thomas Mitchell
- BJ Harrison
- Peter Outerbridge
- Shane Marriott
- Chad Rook
- Joshua Odjick
- Morningstar Angeline
- Rudy Mancuso
What to expect from It: Welcome to Derry?
From the brief information available, It: Welcome to Derry is set to transport viewers to 1962 Maine as the series is set 27 years before the events of the first movie. The series will delve into the dark history of the cursed town, exploring various events across the town throughout nine episodes.
That especially includes one of the most haunting moments from Stephen King's original novel i.e. the burning of the Black Spot. While King’s novel took place in the 1930s, the series will readapt things to fit the timeline established in Andy Muschietti's films.
Unlike previous adaptations of It, the prequel series will feature completely original storytelling not found in King’s novel. It film franchise builds upon the lore and stories established in the books and films, but the series promises to reveal Pennywise's origin story while exploring the clown’s link to the town.
Thus, the series is likely to center on characters navigating the strange, unsettling atmosphere of 1960s Derry as residents experience disturbing events throughout It: Welcome to Derry.
Final thoughts
With It: Welcome to Derry season 1 on its way, series developer Andy Muschietti appeared in an interview with Radio TU on January 8, 2025, and shared that he has plans for more seasons. He confirmed that the creative team plans to produce three seasons, with each one set in a different era.
“We are basing the three seasons of this series on each of these catastrophic events. There’s a reason why the story is told backwards. So the first season is 1962, the second season is 1935, and the third season is 1908," Muschietti said.
That concurs with the events from Stephen King’s 1986 novel as it has several major tragic events, including the massacre of a gang of bank robbers and an explosion at Kitchener Ironworks, where children were killed.
Furthermore, King himself has endorsed the project, and is excited to see what the Muschietti (Andy and his sister Barbara) have in store. As reported by Deadline, the author shared a statement in February 2023:
“I'm excited that the story of Derry, Maine's most haunted city, is continuing, and I'm glad Andy Muschietti is going to be overseeing the frightening festivities, along with a brain trust including his talented sister, Barbara. Red balloons all around!”
It: Welcome to Derry will be released in October 2025 on HBO Max.
