HBO has officially lifted the curtain on Welcome to Derry, the spine-tingling prequel to Andy Muschietti’s It films, confirming that Bill Skarsgård will once again don the white greasepaint and razor-toothed grin of Pennywise the Dancing Clown. For fans of Stephen King’s chilling 1986 novel and the blockbuster duology that followed, this announcement cements Welcome to Derry as one of the most anticipated horror series of 2025.

While details have been kept under tight wraps, early reports suggest the story will be set in the 1960s—decades before the events that saw the Losers’ Club confront Pennywise. This period setting opens up rich narrative possibilities, as the town of Derry has always been steeped in strange disappearances, whispered legends, and an evil that seems to awaken every 27 years. The series will reportedly chronicle the first modern emergence of Pennywise, revealing how the cursed town’s foundations were stained with blood long before the kids of 1989 ever picked up their bicycles.

Andy and Barbara Muschietti, who helmed and produced both It films for New Line Cinema, return as executive producers under their Double Dream banner. Andy Muschietti is also directing several episodes, ensuring that the show maintains the same cinematic tone and visual dread that made his 2017 film a box-office phenomenon. Welcome to Derry is co-developed by Jason Fuchs, who co-wrote It Chapter Two, alongside Brad Caleb Kane (Fringe, Black Sails), promising a mix of dark psychological storytelling and cosmic terror.

Bill Skarsgård’s confirmed return as Pennywise has electrified the horror community. The Swedish actor’s portrayal redefined the character for a new generation, replacing Tim Curry’s 1990 TV-miniseries charm with a more feral, unpredictable menace. Fans praised Skarsgård’s ability to shift seamlessly from childlike whimsy to primal horror—his lazy eye, unnerving vocal shifts, and jerky, insect-like movements turning Pennywise into something truly inhuman. His return suggests that Welcome to Derry will expand on both his performance and the creature’s unsettling mythology.

In a statement from HBO, the network teased that the series will “delve into the town’s dark past, uncovering how and why Derry became a breeding ground for ancient evil.” This wording has sent speculation spiraling across fan forums: will we finally see more of the alien or interdimensional origins hinted at in King’s novel? Or will the show take a more grounded approach, focusing on how trauma, fear, and social decay feed Pennywise’s power?

Early production stills and concept art, leaked in late September, hint at a more stylized, almost dreamlike Derry. The town’s sewers, carnival grounds, and fog-choked streets look both familiar and newly grotesque, suggesting a blend of period detail and supernatural unreality. Set photos also reveal a cast of mostly fresh faces, including younger versions of characters tangentially referenced in the original films—an ambitious expansion of the It universe designed to stand on its own while deepening the mythology.

HBO Max’s investment in Welcome to Derry follows the network’s growing interest in prestige horror television. With The Last of Us proving that emotionally rich genre storytelling can dominate awards seasons, and with Netflix’s The Fall of the House of Usher and AMC’s Interview with the Vampire revitalizing literary horror for modern audiences, Welcome to Derry positions HBO as a direct competitor in this dark renaissance. The budget reportedly rivals that of many feature films, ensuring lavish sets, nightmarish effects, and an immersive depiction of mid-century Americana haunted by something unspeakable.

Fans of Stephen King’s wider universe will find plenty to dissect. King himself has long described It as a nexus story—one that connects to The Dark Tower, Insomnia, and even Dreamcatcher. Whether Welcome to Derry will acknowledge those cosmic threads remains to be seen, but subtle nods are almost guaranteed. The Muschiettis have already proven their affection for King’s interconnected world, slipping easter eggs into both It films. If the show dares to tackle Pennywise’s true form—the terrifying “Deadlights” that exist beyond perception—it could push the adaptation into surreal and existential horror rarely seen on television.

In interviews, Andy Muschietti hinted that the tone of Welcome to Derry would be “both tragic and terrifying,” exploring how ordinary people can become complicit in evil when fear and apathy take root. This moral decay has always been central to King’s original text: Derry’s citizens often turn a blind eye to violence and cruelty, suggesting that the town itself is spiritually poisoned. By moving the timeline backward, the series has the opportunity to explore social themes—racism, repression, Cold War paranoia—that might give Pennywise’s reign of terror a chilling historical context.

Viewers can also expect the series to deepen Pennywise’s psychology without demystifying him entirely. In It Chapter Two, the entity mocked its victims for their fears, feeding not just on flesh but on emotional suffering. Welcome to Derry could reveal earlier cycles of that ritual—the countless children and adults who vanished before anyone dared to speak his name. There’s a possibility that we’ll even glimpse how “Pennywise” became the clown form itself, perhaps through the tragedy of a real performer consumed by something much older and crueler.

As for the premiere date, HBO Max has set an early 2025 release window, with the first teaser expected before year’s end. Marketing insiders predict a viral campaign echoing the red-balloon motif that haunted social media back in 2017. Expect teaser posters, ARG-style clues, and a haunting tagline rumored to read: “Derry remembers.”

If successful, Welcome to Derry could open the floodgates for more serialized explorations of Stephen King’s interconnected horrors. With Salem’s Lot awaiting release and whispers of a Dark Tower adaptation resurfacing, King’s universe seems poised for another cultural takeover. But for now, all eyes are on Derry—where a certain smiling clown waits beneath the storm drain, eager to introduce himself to a new generation.

Whether you float or not, Welcome to Derry ensures one thing: fear never dies—it just returns every 27 years.

Tags: Welcome to Derry, Pennywise, Bill Skarsgård, Stephen King, HBO Max, It prequel, Andy Muschietti, Derry Maine, horror series 2025, The Losers Club