The Derry Prequel Series Premieres Next Early on HBO Max
Fans are eagerly awaiting for the horror series the Derry series, that's been receiving positive feedback and incorporating references from the broader King universe. Just one day after launch, HBO has revealed that the second installment will arrive early, scheduled ideally for Halloween.
Premiere Shift Details
Kicking off on October 31 at midnight PT, episode two of the Derry prequel will make its debut on HBO Max, ahead of its linear broadcast. Subsequent episodes of the eight-episode season will continue to air on Sunday nights on both HBO and its streaming arm, culminating in the concluding chapter on Sunday, December 14.
Show Background
Set in Stephen King’s It universe, It: Welcome to Derry is inspired by the original story while building upon the universe brought to life by director Andy Muschietti in the two It films. The first It movie centered on kids and teens facing unimaginable horrors, so it’s fitting that the series follows in those footsteps. Nevertheless, the premiere episode of the HBO series demonstrates it set out to escalate the fear, providing even more intense scares than Muschietti’s films and establishing a harsh vibe for the upcoming episodes.
Setting and Themes
Located in the early '60s, the series introduces a fresh cast of adults and children living in a apparently peaceful community hiding a sinister core. The town follows a vicious, repeating pattern—characterized by hostility, discrimination, and otherworldly forces, as a evil entity returns every 27 years. While Welcome to Derry might sound like it skews too close to the films on the surface, what distinguishes the HBO Max series is its two-sided viewpoint—told from the eyes of both children and adults simultaneously. Children are particularly vulnerable to the monster's horror, but older characters also face dealing with their individual fears arising from the town's ingrained prejudice and lurking supernatural forces.
The series premieres on Halloween at 3 a.m. EST.