IT: Welcome to Derry – Review | HBO Max

IT: WELCOME TO DERRY on HBO Max is a new horror series based on Stephen King’s sinister small town setting. It’s amazing – and truly terrifying. Seriously, do not watch this one with kids. Read our IT: Welcome to Derry series review here!

IT: WELCOME TO DERRY is a new HBO Original Series from Warner Bros. Television. It will debut on HBO and stream on HBO Max, but you only get one episode per week. The season has eight episodes, and from the very first one, you should be hooked.

In fact, even the intro had me mesmerized. It’s fairly long, features a very happy-go-lucky song, and the comic book-style visuals get increasingly sinister – just like the actual show. This is a brilliant horror series that should terrify many viewers!

Continue reading our IT: Welcome to Derry season 1 review below. Find it on HBO and HBO Max from October 26, 2025.

Welcome to Derry… now run!

With the HBO series IT: Welcome to Derry, we get much more backstory on the curse of what we have come to know as Pennywise. The iconic clown is ancient, and his supernatural powers exist only to terrify those around him, so he can feed on their fear.

The story plays out in 1962, but we also hear about past cycles, when this ancient fear-inducing power last haunted the town of Derry. In fact, we will go way back to get an origin story.

But all in good time.

Before we ever get that far, there’s an opening scene that sets the stage and should help you manage your expectations. This scene should also show you that IT: Welcome to Derry is not a show for kids.

Unless they really love horror – and you watch it with them.

The victims are usually kids, and it will get extremely violent. Both in physical and emotional ways. Also, we follow a few adults, who will either try to help the children or (in too many cases) refuse to believe them until it’s too late.

A Stephen King world for hardcore horror fans

Look, I recognize that plenty of horror fans will have a blast with this and not find it particularly terrifying. I also know that (many of) those very same people will jump in their seats while watching, and may even gasp a little – unless you’re a ScreamQueen like me.

Admittedly, we horror fans are a special breed.

However, I feel a well-meaning warning is in order, because IT: Welcome to Derry does hit hard. It gets downright terrifying and very early on as well. Just like with IT, you will see kids be scared out of their minds. Also, you will see children literally get torn apart.

Way before we ever see the iconic Pennywise, so much terrifying stuff has already happened. IT: Welcome to Derry may be one of the scariest horror productions in a long time. Partly because kids play the main characters – but adults aren’t safe either.

Start watching IT: Welcome to Derry on HBO and HBO Max

The new HBO series is developed for television by filmmakers Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti. Yes, the very same sibling duo who gave us  IT and IT Chapter Two. Also, Jason Fuchs, who worked on the sequel as well, serves as co-showrunner with Brad Caleb Kane.

Andy Muschietti, who directed the two IT movies, also directs multiple episodes of this new original series. While this is a new story, it’s still set in the world we’ve come to know from Stephen King’s “IT” universe.

In key roles, you can look forward to seeing James Remar (AKA Dexter‘s dad), Jovan Adepo (The Stand), Taylour Paige (The Toxic Avenger), Joshua Odjick (The Long Walk), Peter Outerbridge, and Madeleine Stowe.

Among the young actors portraying the all-important children of Derry, you may see a familiar face or two as well. There’s Clara Stack (The Naughty Nine), Amanda Christine (Black Box), and Mikkal Karim Fidler (Boy in the Walls).

Among the producers, we also find Bill Skarsgård, who reprises his role as Pennywise as well. Also, another familiar Stephen King character from both IT and The Shining will play a huge part: Dick Hallorann, now portrayed by Chris Chalk (Shining Girls).

Whatever you expect, I hope you’ll be as pleasantly (and terrifyingly) surprised as I was!

IT: Welcome to Derry debuts on HBO on October 26, 2025, at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. Also available to stream on HBO Max. The season finale is on December 14.

Details

Cast: Jovan Adepo, Taylour Paige, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Madeleine Stowe, Rudy Mancuso, Bill Skarsgård