It: Welcome to Derry Debuts Second Early on the Streaming Platform

Audiences are thrilled for the horror series the Derry series, that's been garnering praise and weaving in themes from the broader King universe. Just one day after launch, the network declared that the second installment will arrive early, timed perfectly for Halloween.

Premiere Shift Information

Kicking off on the last day of October at midnight PT, the second episode of Welcome to Derry will launch on HBO's online platform, before its Sunday HBO premiere. The remaining installments of the eight-episode season will premiere on the weekend on both HBO and its streaming arm, leading up to the season finale on December 14th.

Show Background

Set in the Derry mythology, the new series is inspired by King’s iconic novel while enlarging the world brought to life by director Andy Muschietti in the two It films. The first It movie highlighted young characters confronting supernatural evils, so it’s fitting that the series follows in those footsteps. Yet, the first installment of the HBO series shows it intended to increase the tension, providing even more intense scares than Muschietti’s films and creating a brutal tone for what's to come.

Setting and Themes

Set in 1962, the program presents a new generation of adults and children inhabiting a outwardly charming locale hiding a evil heart. Derry follows a brutal, periodic loop—characterized by hostility, discrimination, and otherworldly forces, as a monstrous presence resurfaces each 27-year cycle. While It: Welcome to Derry might appear like it leans too heavily to the films initially, what distinguishes the HBO Max series is its two-sided viewpoint—unfolding through the eyes of both children and adults at the same time. The kids stay particularly vulnerable to the entity's fear, but the adults don't escape dealing with their personal demons arising from Derry’s deep-seated bigotry and hidden paranormal elements.