It: Welcome to Derry is almost here! It feels like we've been waiting years for this show, but that's all about to change this week when the new series premieres on HBO and HBO Max.
Welcome to Derry is inspired by Stephen King's novel, It, and it's prequel to the most recent IT movies, It Chapter One and It Chapter Two that premiered in 2017 and 2019, respectively. The new HBO series was developed by the team behind the It movies, Andy and Barbara Muschietti.
When does It: Welcome to Derry come out?
It: Welcome to Derry premieres on Sunday, Oct. 26, at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.
Because it's HBO, everyone will have an opportunity to watch the new episodes of Welcome to Derry at the same time. So, if you're on West Coast, you can actually start watching the new episode at 6 p.m. PT. That's a luxury of living on the Best Coast that I do enjoy.
To watch, you'll obviously need an HBO subscription, which can be added to your cable or satellite package through your provider, or an HBO Max account. HBO Max accounts can be added on to a number of other subscriptions like Amazon Prime, YouTube TV, and more. You can also sign up for an account directly, and there are a couple of different plans to choose from.
Right now, there are three HBO Max plans: Basic with Ads, Standard, and Premium. The plans are largely the same in the shows and movies they offer, but they differ in ads, how many screens and users are allowed on the account, and the quality of the stream. Basic with Ads is the most affordable option at $10.99 per month or $109.99 annually. Standard and Premium are quite a bit more per month, but they are ad-free. The Standard plan is $18.49 per month or $184.99 annually, while the Premium plan is $22.99 per month or $229.99 annually.
You can also sing up for the Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max bundle, which is $19.99, and it's probably the best deal of the bunch.
Welcome to Derry release schedule
Unlike most Netflix shows, we're getting weekly episode releases for It: Welcome to Derry. New episodes will air on Sunday nights on HBO and HBO Max throughout the fall. There are eight episodes in the first season of the series.
Here's the full release schedule along with the episode titles when we know so far:
Episode | Date |
|---|---|
"The Pilot" (Episode 1) | Sunday, Oct. 26 |
"The Thing in the Dark" (Episode 2) | Sunday, Nov. 2 |
"Now You See It" (Episode 3) | Sunday, Nov. 9 |
Episode 4 | Sunday, Nov. 16 |
Episode 5 | Sunday, Nov. 23 |
Episode 6 | Sunday, Nov. 30 |
Episode 7 | Sunday, Dec. 7 |
Episode 8 | Sunday, Dec. 14 |
What is It: Welcome to Derry about?
While HBO has not revealed an official plot synopsis for Welcome to Derry, it's quite obvious what is about to happen!
The series is set in Derry, Maine, in 1962, and everyone's least favorite clown, Pennywise, is back to wreak havoc on the kids and townsfolk of the small, quiet town. The series follows several important characters, but it appears as though the Hanlon family, mainly Charlotte, Leroy, and their son, Will. The Hanlon name should be one that many It fans will recognize is at the center of the action.
Welcome to Derry is set 27 years before the events of the It movies, but it's much closer to the timeline of one of the stories in the It novel by King. Because the movies tweaked the timeline of the original story, we're likely going to see many of the events that King describes in the novel take place during Welcome to Derry.
Who is in the Welcome to Derry cast?
While almost all the stars of the It movies will be sitting out the series, there is one major start returning for It: Welcome to Derry, and that's the man, the myth, and the literal legend Bill Skarsgård. My guy just can't stop playing Pennywise, which is actually a great thing because he's so awesome in this role. Honestly, I can't imagine another actor playing the ferocious clown.
Here's the cast list of Welcome to Derry:
- Taylour Paige as Charlotte Hanlon
- Jovan Adepo as Leroy Hanlon
- Blake Cameron James as Will Hanlon
- Chris Chalk as Dick Halloran
- James Remar as General Shaw
- Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise the Clown
- Stephen Rider as Hank
- Rudy Mancuso as Polly Russo
- Clara Stack as Lilly
- Amanda Christine as Ronnie
- Mikkal Karim-Fidler as Teddy
- Kimberly Norris Guerrero as Rose
- Madeleine Stowe
HBO Max has the IT movies available to stream
I have a feeling that fans will definitely be interested in checking out the It movies before or after watching Welcome to Derry, so I wanted to also share where fans can check out the film series. As of October 2025, you can watch It Chapter One and It Chapter Two on HBO Max.
Honestly, it doesn't get much better than this for It fans. Fall is always a great time to read King's book, but to have a new prequel series and both movies available on HBO Max just in time for Halloween? You can't beat it.
Stay tuned for more news about It: Welcome to Derry on HBO and HBO Max.