The highly anticipated horror series, IT: Welcome to Derry season 1, is all set to make its way to the viewers on October 26. The upcoming show will be a prequel to the IT movies.
The series will take the viewers back to the haunted town of Derry, Maine, following the Hanlon family's shift to the location. While they come with hopes of a peaceful life, things take a big turn when the town's dark secrets and the terror of Pennywise begin to surface.
For the franchise fans, the upcoming show will bring several moments that touch upon the origins of the main antagonist, Pennywise. IT: Welcome to Derry season 1 episode 1 will release on October 26, 2025, on HBO Max at 9 pm ET/ 6 pm PT.
IT: Welcome to Derry season 1 episode 1 release date and time

Danger looms over Derry, and IT: Welcome to Derry season 1 builds on the mysterious events that shake the town and its residents. The viewers will get to see the story through the perspective of the Hanlons, bringing clarity to how things went down for all in the past.
The upcoming prequel series will answer some of the questions that the IT movies left the viewers with, giving a context of how it all began. The series will premiere with one episode on October 26, 2025, at 9 pm ET/ 6 pm PT.
Release timings for other regions are listed below:
Also read: Meet the cast of IT: Welcome to Derry
Where to watch IT: Welcome to Derry season 1 episode 1?

Based on Stephen King's popular literary works, IT: Welcome to Derry season 1 is set to have a total of eight episodes, with one episode dropping every week till the finale on December 14, 2025. The release schedule promises unique developments that keep viewers waiting for what's coming ahead every week.
All the episodes of the series will be released on HBO Max. For viewers who have yet to subscribe to the streaming platform, there are several plans to choose from. A basic (ad-inclusive) plan costs $10.99/month or $109.99/year. Standard ad-free plan is available for $18.49/month or $184.99/year.
For high-quality, ad-free streaming, a premium plan is being offered at $22.99/month or $229.99/year. Interested viewers can also check offers and services available under each plan in detail.
Also read: IT: Welcome to Derry creators react to Stephen King's praise
What is IT: Welcome to Derry season 1 all about?
Set in the year 1962, IT: Welcome to Derry season 1 unravels the dark happenings that hide behind the seemingly 'normal' town of Derry, Maine. As the Hanlon family settles in the town, their hopes for a good time in the location turn to dust when things take a turn for the worse.
The series will bring back the antagonist, Pennywise the dancing clown, further giving the viewers a look at the character's origin story. Scary moments and chilling developments can be expected through different characters' journeys in the series.
The official logline of the series reads as follows:
"Set in the world of Stephen King's "IT" universe, IT: Welcome to Derry is based on King's "IT" novel and expands the vision established by filmmaker Andy Muschietti in the feature films "IT" and "IT Chapter Two."
Barbara Muschietti, Andy Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs reunited after working on the IT films to develop the series. The cast members of the series include Taylour Paige as Charlotte Hanlon, Jovan Adepo as Leroy Hanlon, Chris Chalk as Dick Hallorann, Rudy Mancuso as Captain Pauly Russo, Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise, and more.
Watch IT: Welcome to Derry season 1 on HBO Max.