The Derry Prequel Series Premieres Second Early on HBO Max
Audiences are thrilled for the Stephen King adaptation It: Welcome to Derry, already earning acclaim and drawing from elements from the broader King universe. Now, the broadcaster declared that the next chapter will premiere ahead of schedule, scheduled ideally for Halloween.
Early Release Information
Kicking off on Halloween night at midnight PT, the next part of the Derry prequel will premiere on HBO Max, prior to its linear broadcast. Subsequent episodes of the show's first season will be released on Sundays on HBO and HBO Max, culminating in the season finale on the 14th of December.
Show Background
Set in the Derry mythology, the new series draws from the original story while enlarging the setting realized by filmmaker Andy Muschietti in the recent movie adaptations. The original It focused on young characters battling unimaginable horrors, so it’s fitting that the prequel follows in those footsteps. Yet, the debut of the streaming show shows it intended to escalate the fear, offering even more intense scares than the movies and establishing a dark atmosphere for what's to come.
Story World and Concepts
Taking place in the 1960s, this show introduces a different group of grown-ups and kids inhabiting a seemingly idyllic town concealing a sinister core. This place functions through a cruel, recurring cycle—characterized by hostility, discrimination, and otherworldly forces, as a monstrous presence reappears every 27 years. Although the series might appear like it skews too close to the cinematic adaptations initially, what sets apart the streaming show is its dual perspective—told from the eyes of both children and adults concurrently. Children stay particularly vulnerable to the entity's fear, but the adults don't escape confronting their personal demons stemming from the town's ingrained prejudice and covert otherworldly powers.
Episode 2 premieres on October 31 at 3 a.m. EST.
