The small town of Derry, Maine, is back in the spotlight, and its pervasive evil is set to curdle new blood. On October 26, 2025, HBO will unleash IT: Welcome to Derry, a highly anticipated prequel series that plunges viewers into an earlier, equally terrifying cycle of Pennywise’s carnage. This initial review dives deep into the premiere episode, exploring how it re-establishes the chilling world of Stephen King, expands on the existing cinematic universe, and navigates the complex lore preceding Andy Muschietti’s two blockbuster IT films.
Returning to the Rot: Derry’s Dark History Unfolds
IT: Welcome to Derry isn’t just another King adaptation; it’s a direct extension of the cinematic world crafted by Andy Muschietti, who returns to direct the first four episodes. His vision, aiming for a “thoughtful and savage exploration” of how deeply evil permeates Derry, is immediately apparent. The series benefits from an already established visual language and a clear understanding of Pennywise’s menacing presence. Produced by Barbara Muschietti and co-showrunners Jason Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane, the team wisely taps into “untapped material” from King’s original novel. These crucial interstitial chapters detail Derry’s long, dark history, outlining Pennywise’s predictable 27-year cycles of fear, marked by child disappearances and mass casualty events.
A notable departure from the book’s timeline is the shift of a 1930s racially charged tragedy to the 1960s, specifically amidst the American Civil Rights movement. This temporal relocation is lauded by some as a “compelling and dramatically fertile shift,” offering a fresh historical backdrop that still coheres with earlier adaptations, like the 1990 miniseries set in the 1950s. The premiere’s “fantastic production design and costume work” effectively transport audiences to 1960s Derry, creating an instant sense of immersion and dread.
Dual Narratives: Kids vs. Adults in Derry’s Grip
The premiere episode tracks two distinct yet intertwined storylines. One follows a group of children encountering Pennywise’s latest cycle of torment, echoing the familiar “Losers’ Club” dynamic. The other introduces Major Leroy Hanlon (Jovan Adepo), a B-52 test pilot and the future grandfather of Mike Hanlon, a pivotal character from the IT films. This narrative choice, splitting focus between youthful terror and adult confrontation, is a consistent theme across It adaptations.
Many critics, and even King himself, often find the children’s perspective on Pennywise more engaging and terrifying. This sentiment largely holds true in Welcome to Derry‘s premiere. The show excels when focusing on the kids’ initial, disorienting encounters with the entity. However, some criticisms note that these new child characters, despite their potential, initially feel like “pale, mostly unfleshed-out echoes of the Losers Club,” hindered by weak acting and dialogue in some scenes.
Leroy Hanlon’s Journey: A Slower Burn
Leroy Hanlon’s storyline, while crucial for laying narrative groundwork, feels “laborious” in the first hour. Jovan Adepo brings a “steadiness” to Leroy, but his icy reception from white colleagues, a mysterious “special projects” building, and enigmatic warnings from another Black airman don’t immediately grab the viewer. This plot thread, though hinting at “sinister conflicts” and an attack by masked assailants, largely functions as setup. It feels somewhat disconnected from the more immediate Pennywise activity in town.
Adding complexity, the series subtly introduces Dick Hallorann (Chris Chalk), the psychic cook from The Shining and Doctor Sleep, interacting with the Hanlons. This inclusion directly ties into King’s novel, where Hallorann rescues Mike’s father from the “Black Spot” fire, an event ignited by a white supremacist group. This connection promises deeper dives into Derry’s dark history and its Indigenous population’s role in guarding Pennywise’s secrets. Yet, some critics suggest Hallorann’s portrayal here might lean too heavily into a “weird psychic guy” trope, somewhat resembling a young Professor X.
The Horror Unveiled: Scares and Visuals
Muschietti’s signature “creeping weirdness and dread” is effectively marshaled in Welcome to Derry. The episode’s standout opening sequence, where loner Matty Clements (Miles Ekhardt) hitches a ride with a sinister family, masterfully builds tension through quick cuts and increasingly strange behavior. The “satisfyingly shocking imagery” during Matty’s demise promises more “psychologically-oppressive wind-ups” for future episodes. The series also features a “nightmare birth scene” that is explicitly visceral, setting an intense horror tone.
However, the efficacy of the scares yields mixed results. Quick, suggestive glimpses of Pennywise’s influence – like his distorted grin appearing on characters’ faces – are more impactful than full monster reveals. The visual effects for Pennywise’s more grotesque creations, such as a “multi-headed, winged demon baby,” are criticized by some as appearing “unrendered” or “glossy,” failing to meet HBO’s expected high standards. Some viewers might find these CG-heavy scares a “distraction than nightmare fuel,” similar to issues raised in IT: Chapter Two. Director Muschietti’s peculiar habit of repeating the exact same scare within seconds is also noted as a recurring creative pitfall that deflates tension.
Pennywise’s Haunting Absence
Intriguingly, Bill Skarsgård’s iconic Pennywise is largely absent from the premiere. The series opts for a “sparing” appearance strategy, making Pennywise an “ominous background presence.” Glimpses of his “cocked eye” or “giant buck teeth” appearing in the mouths of antagonists are the primary indications of his malevolence. This approach is effective, maintaining the monster’s mystique and aligning with the limited information the children initially have. It builds anticipation for his full reveal, suggesting that the “blood and gore” will eventually be unleashed, with “no kid or adult” being safe from his terror.
Thematic Depth: Derry’s Indifference as a Parallel Evil
Both the adult and kid storylines effectively highlight a crucial thematic parallel: Pennywise’s ancient malice mirroring the “banal indifference” of Derry’s citizenry. The show explores how children recognize and rail against this apathy, how young adults grow cynical, and how older generations seem “doomed to it entirely.” Matty’s disappearance profoundly affects classmates like Lilly, Teddie, and Phil, who grapple with guilt over missed chances to connect. Lilly (Clara Stack) particularly stands out, compounding pre-existing grief with Matty’s situation, capably handled by the young actor. Her “no-bullshit best friend” Marge is already a strong contender for a fan-favorite character.
While the series ambitiously tackles themes like racism, sexism, and antisemitism within the 1960s setting, some critics argue it uses these serious issues as “fodder for more screaming monsters” without fully exploring them. The subplot involving Leroy’s wife, Charlotte Hanlon (Taylour Paige), as a Civil Rights activist encountering racism in the North, is “intriguing” but feels somewhat disconnected from the main supernatural plot. This hints at the series’ struggle to meaningfully integrate profound social commentary with its horror narrative.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is “IT: Welcome to Derry” about and when does it premiere?
IT: Welcome to Derry is an HBO prequel series set in 1960s Derry, Maine, exploring an earlier cycle of Pennywise’s terror 27 years before the events of the modern IT films. It draws heavily from the town history sections of Stephen King’s original novel, introducing new characters like the Hanlon family and a group of children who confront the supernatural entity. The series is set to debut on HBO on October 26, 2025.
How does “IT: Welcome to Derry” connect to Stephen King’s other works and the previous “IT” movies?
The series directly builds upon the cinematic universe established by Andy Muschietti’s IT films, with Muschietti returning to direct several episodes. It acts as a prequel, detailing Pennywise’s origins and reign of terror in the 1960s. Notably, it incorporates characters like Leroy Hanlon (Mike Hanlon’s grandfather) and Dick Hallorann (from The Shining and Doctor Sleep), tying into King’s broader literary universe and exploring events like the “Black Spot” fire mentioned in the novel.
Is “IT: Welcome to Derry” worth watching based on its premiere episode?
The premiere of IT: Welcome to Derry receives mixed but generally positive reception. It successfully re-establishes Derry’s unsettling atmosphere and Pennywise’s ominous presence with stylish production design and effective tension-building, particularly in its focus on the children’s storyline. While some CG-heavy scares and parts of the adult storyline might fall flat, and critics debate its handling of complex social themes, the episode creates an engaging mystery and promises intense horror. Fans of the IT films and Stephen King’s lore will likely find enough compelling elements to continue watching.
Verdict: A Promising, Yet Flawed, Return to Derry
The premiere of IT: Welcome to Derry makes you feel right at home in America’s worst small town. It accomplishes its most important task: re-establishing Derry and Pennywise with style, effective tension, and a rich, atmospheric 1960s setting. While some CG-heavy scares might feel unpolished, and the adult storyline takes time to build momentum, the children’s encounters deliver genuine dread. The decision to sparingly feature Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise keeps him an ominous background presence, enhancing his mystique. The series, despite some early “rough edges” in dialogue and special effects, establishes an exciting mystery that will appeal to Stephen King fans and horror enthusiasts eager to see just how deep the rot of It runs through Derry. The initial nine-episode season promises a comprehensive, if at times uneven, exploration of this chilling era.
