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Audiences are thrilled for the chilling show It: Welcome to Derry, that's been earning acclaim and drawing from references from additional King stories. Following the premiere, the network declared that the next chapter will debut sooner than expected, timed perfectly for the spookiest night.

Early Release Information

Beginning on October 31 at 3 a.m. EST, the second episode of the Derry prequel will premiere on HBO Max, ahead of its linear broadcast. Future chapters of the show's first season will be released on the weekend on both HBO and its streaming arm, building toward the concluding chapter on Sunday, December 14.

Storyline Summary

Based in the Derry mythology, the new series is inspired by the original story while building upon the universe established by director Andy Muschietti in the two It films. The first It movie centered on young characters battling terrifying threats, thus it's suitable that the prequel follows in those footsteps. However, the debut of the HBO series shows it set out to raise the stakes, delivering more frightening moments than the movies and creating a brutal tone for the rest of the season.

Setting and Themes

Taking place in the 1960s, the series features a new generation of parents and youngsters inhabiting a apparently peaceful community hiding a sinister core. The town follows a brutal, periodic loop—one marked by hostility, discrimination, and otherworldly forces, as a terrifying being returns once every three decades. While Welcome to Derry might seem like it strays too near to the movies initially, what sets apart the streaming show is its dual perspective—narrated via the viewpoints of young and old concurrently. The kids remain particularly vulnerable to the monster's horror, but grown-ups aren’t spared confronting their personal demons stemming from local discrimination and covert otherworldly powers.

The series airs on Halloween at midnight PT.