The latest Stephen King adaptation is premiering on HBO later this month, and it seems the network has another hit on their hands. It: Welcome to Derry is the highly anticipated prequel to Andy Muschietti’s It films, based on the iconic King novel of the same name. Not only will fans be treated to more Pennywise in the new series, but they will learn more about the sinister force haunting Derry well before the events of the film.
As of this writing, It: Welcome to Derry is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with an 82% score based on 33 reviews. The reviews have praised the prequel for bumping up the scares and doubling down on body horror, while thoughtfully expanding upon King’s work with a thematically relevant new storyline. Variety called the series a “masterfully woven and terrifying tale about the origins of the monstrous Pennywise the Clown,” which touches upon themes that “have never echoed louder today.” Nerdist praised Welcome to Derry as a “triumph,” as “expands the characters we know from the first installment and adds new characters we grow to love just as much.”
Those on the negative side of the critic score felt that the series did not do enough to separate itself as a King adaptation. The Ringer was not a fan of HBO’s latest Sunday offering, saying, “the real curse plaguing Derry isn’t Pennywise but our inability to leave well enough alone.” Meanwhile, FandomWire was mixed on the series, which they called a “decent attempt at revitalizing the horror, but it desperately needs a boost of energy and would’ve been far better as a single theatrical prequel that didn’t feel like it was wasting its audience’s time.”
Stephen King’s Reaction to ‘It: Welcome to Derry’ Changes Revealed
HBO
It: Welcome to Derry co-creator Andy Muschietti told MovieWeb how Stephen King reacted to the series changing or adding key aspects to the source material. Although the HBO show takes cues from the original novel, it expands upon certain references to create new storylines that span from 1962 to 1908. The show is planned for three seasons, each taking place further and further back in time during a different era. Naturally, this meant that Muschietti and company were going to explore new places not from the novel, which King was creatively open to.
“He was like, ‘Great, let’s do it.’ He was as curious about where this was going as [we were]. I told him, ‘I have this strange desire to tell the story backwards, so we would go from 1962 being the first season, to 1935 and then to 1908. There’s a very specific reason why we’re telling the story backwards. I can’t tell you yet. Without knowing why, [King] immediately said, ‘That’s a good idea.’ From then on, he was very open to exploration. Even though the book is massive and full of stories and characters, it’s very fragmented and partially told. Obviously, every time that there was something that [King] didn’t feel was right, he would say it.”
Release Date
October 26, 2025
Network
HBO
Directors
Andy Muschietti
