Serie - It: Welcome to Derry – HBO’s Chilling Dive into the Origins of Fear

By Mulder, 20 may 2025

Long before the Losers’ Club faced their childhood traumas in the sewers of Derry, Maine, and long before Pennywise donned his sinister smile to torment them, the roots of evil had already sunk deep into the town’s cursed soil. It: Welcome to Derry, the upcoming prequel series to It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019), aims to unearth that buried dread. Slated to premiere in late 2025 on HBO, this nine-episode horror drama is not merely a retread of familiar nightmares but a bold descent into the psychological and supernatural origins of Derry’s malevolence, stretching back to the 1960s—a time period both nostalgic and deeply unsettled. With Andy Muschietti returning to direct the first four episodes, fans can rest assured the visual language and tonal intensity that made the films so iconic will remain hauntingly intact.

The project’s journey has been long and carefully orchestrated. Initial whispers of a series began in March 2022, when Variety first reported that Andy and Barbara Muschietti, alongside Jason Fuchs, were developing a show for HBO Max. By early 2023, the series had been greenlit with Brad Caleb Kane joining Fuchs as co-showrunner. The production, operating under the cryptic title Greetings from Fairview, kicked off in Canada—specifically in Toronto, Hamilton, and the atmospheric town of Port Hope, which previously doubled as Derry in the films. From the worn hallways of Delta Secondary School to eerily still suburban streets, the shoot aimed for visual authenticity. Anecdotally, several locals spoke about how unsettling it was to watch streets they’d known all their lives be transformed into 1960s Derry, complete with vintage cars and period props, only to be filled with creeping dread as costumed performers brought Pennywise’s world to life again.

While the casting process unfolded quietly at first, it picked up impressive momentum. Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, Taylour Paige, and James Remar headline the ensemble, joined by Stephen Rider and Madeleine Stowe in crucial supporting roles. But the ultimate coup came in May 2024 when Bill Skarsgård—who immortalized Pennywise with his chilling portrayal in the films—was officially announced not only as a returning cast member but also as an executive producer. His involvement solidifies the bridge between the theatrical films and this new serialized chapter. For fans who feared that another actor might don the white greasepaint and red balloon, Bill Skarsgård’s return is not just reassuring—it’s thrilling. His Pennywise is no longer just a figure of jumpscares; he’s become a symbol of existential dread and twisted legacy.

Narratively, It: Welcome to Derry has set itself an ambitious goal. Rather than simply filling in the blanks before the events of the 2017 film, the show intends to excavate the deeper mythology of Pennywise. The first season will explore events in 1962, but plans are already in motion for future seasons to plunge even further into the past: 1935 and then 1908, hinting at a multi-generational curse that predates even the earliest accounts found in King’s original novel. This decision adds a fascinating narrative structure—a kind of reverse archaeology of horror—where each season peels back another layer of Derry’s blood-soaked history. It’s a storytelling method that King himself would likely admire, as it mimics his own penchant for cyclical evil and community rot.

Behind the scenes, this is also a Muschietti family passion project. Andy’s distinctive directorial style—blending heart, horror, and emotional nuance—will serve as the series’ spine, while Barbara Muschietti continues her behind-the-camera influence as producer. Alongside them, Fuchs (who penned the first episode) and Kane are crafting a narrative that promises both terror and substance. This team knows the terrain intimately, and rather than merely offering jump scares, they seem intent on building a richly textured psychological horror—something closer to a Stephen King novel in structure than a slasher serial. In fact, early rumors suggest the show might even explore Derry’s socio-political context in the ’60s, intertwining racial tensions and Cold War paranoia with supernatural dread. This approach, if fully realized, could elevate Welcome to Derry beyond traditional horror into the realm of cultural commentary.

What’s particularly exciting—and chilling—is that the teaser already hints at the mood. Released by HBO with masterful restraint, it avoids flashy set pieces and instead leans on atmosphere. The camera lingers on quiet corridors, flickering streetlamps, and subtle distortions in familiar suburban scenes. It evokes that uneasy feeling—one King readers know well—that something isn’t just wrong, it’s off. It’s a tone that harkens back to classic horror, rooted in psychological unease rather than gore. And for those who lived through the original miniseries in the ’90s or the theatrical revival in the 2010s, Welcome to Derry may well be the third chapter of their collective nightmare, now reborn on the small screen.

In an era where horror franchises often dilute their potency through overexposure, It: Welcome to Derry looks to be doing the opposite—deepening its mythology, enriching its emotional stakes, and amplifying its terror through historical layering. This isn't just another spin-off; it’s a sophisticated expansion, crafted by the very artists who made It a generational horror touchstone. As the red balloon floats back into our lives, we are once again reminded that in Derry, fear never dies—it just waits for a new season.

Synopsis :
Strange events unfold in the town of Derry in the 1960s involving Pennywise the clown, a mysterious character who haunts Derry.

It – Welcome to Derry
Based on It by Stephen King
Developed by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, Jason Fuchs
Showrunners Jason Fuchs, Brad Caleb Kane
Starring  Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, Taylour Paige, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Bill Skarsgård
Executive producers : Jason Fuchs, Brad Caleb Kane, Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, Shelley Meals, Roy Lee, Dan Lin, Bill Skarsgård
Production companies : HBO, Warner Bros. Television, Double Dream
Network : HBO (United States), Max (France)

(Source ; press release)