HBO Plans 'It: Welcome to Derry' Prequel Exploring 1960s Racial Inequities

The HBO series "It: Welcome to Derry" serves as a prequel to the Stephen King universe, set in 1962 and exploring the origins of the cursed town of Derry, Maine, and its infamous entity Pennywise the clown. Created and directed by Andy and Barbara Muschietti along with showrunners Jason Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane, the series delves deeply into historical racial inequities and the real-world consequences of fearmongering, mirroring the social and political tensions of the era. The Muschietti siblings, drawing on their experiences growing up under a dictatorship in Argentina, emphasize the show's themes of fear as a weapon and the importance of empathy and unity against violence and intimidation. The narrative structure goes backward in time to reveal the cyclical terror in Derry, with a three-season arc planned to unfold the mysteries surrounding Pennywise and the town’s dark history. The series also highlights the collective amnesia of the town’s residents towards the horrors they endure, a metaphor for broader societal forgetfulness. "It: Welcome to Derry" will premiere on October 26, 2025, on HBO and HBO Max, continuing weekly through mid-December.