A moody, high-budget return to Derry that leans into eerie small-town dread, child-endangerment horror, and the mythology around Pennywise, but it also has the burden of expanding a story many viewers already feel was fully explored in the films. If you want atmospheric HBO horror with period detail and a slow-burn… Read more
IT: Welcome to Derry
Where to watch: Buy
TV Show · Drama · Mystery
Sun
Created by: Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, Jason Fuchs
Starring: Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Matilda Lawler
Overview
In 1962, amid a spate of unexplained disappearances of local children, a group of misfit friends begin to suspect a long-buried ancient evil lurking. As the kids set out to determine what's really going on, a rising unease prompts several townspeople to work together to restore peace – all while a U.S. military operation seeks to exploit Derry for its own objectives.
Created by
Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, Jason Fuchs
Cast
Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Matilda Lawler, Amanda Christine, Clara Stack, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider
Curator Review
Verdict
A moody, high-budget return to Derry that leans into eerie small-town dread, child-endangerment horror, and the mythology around Pennywise, but it also has the burden of expanding a story many viewers already feel was fully explored in the films. If you want atmospheric HBO horror with period detail and a slow-burn mystery, it looks promising; if you want a clean, self-contained scare machine, it may feel overextended.
Best for
Viewers who like prestige horror with strong atmosphere
Fans of Stephen King adaptations and interconnected mythology
People who enjoy slow-burn mystery series with a dark period setting
Audiences open to ensemble storytelling and escalating dread
Skip if
You want a tight limited series with a definitive ending
You’re tired of prequel/spin-off franchise expansion
You prefer horror that is more immediate and less lore-driven
You don’t enjoy child-centered suspense or prolonged unease
Overview
IT: Welcome to Derry arrives with the kind of built-in curiosity that only a major horror franchise can generate. The 1962 setting gives it a strong visual and tonal lane: mid-century Americana, civic rot, and the sense that the town itself is complicit in the terror. That’s a good fit for the material, especially with HBO’s tendency to favor atmosphere and character over cheap shocks.
Worth noting
The main question is whether the series can justify its existence beyond expanding the mythology. The premise suggests a broader canvas than the films, with kids, adults, and military forces all circling the same evil, which could deepen the world if the writing stays disciplined. But prequels often struggle when they trade suspense for explanation, and this concept risks becoming more about lore than fear.
Bottom line
For viewers who like their horror slow, ominous, and heavily textured, this is likely to be worth sampling. For everyone else, it may land as a strong but optional companion piece rather than essential viewing. The appeal is less in surprise than in execution: if the show sustains dread and keeps the human drama sharp, it could be one of the more watchable franchise expansions in recent memory.