HBO’s IT: Welcome to Derry Revives Stephen King’s Iconic Horror with a Chilling Origin Story
Set in the 1960s, the IT prequel dives deep into Derry’s haunted past, exploring fear, trauma, and the evil lurking beneath small-town life.
HBO’s IT: Welcome to Derry brings audiences back to the cursed Maine town that first terrified readers in Stephen King’s 1986 novel. Serving as a prequel to the IT films directed by Andy Muschietti, the series delves into Derry’s sinister past—decades before the Losers’ Club ever faced Pennywise the Dancing Clown.
The opening episodes, Before the Storm and The Watchful Eye, set the tone with haunting precision. Set in the 1960s, long before the familiar terror takes shape, Welcome to Derry transforms the town into a living character—brooding, secretive, and corrupted from within. The show masterfully channels King’s signature blend of nostalgia and nightmare, weaving themes of trauma, fear, and denial into the fabric of small-town life.
Episode 1 slowly builds unease through eerie imagery—floating balloons, whispers from storm drains, and laughter in the mist. Episode 2 escalates the tension, revealing Derry’s chilling pattern of forgotten child disappearances and the unsettling complicity of its residents. The brief yet chilling glimpse of Pennywise is enough to send shivers down the spine, his presence felt even in absence.
What makes Welcome to Derry stand out is its understanding that true horror isn’t only about monsters—it’s about the fears we suppress and the evil that festers when ignored. The series explores social decay, class divides, and the darkness beneath ordinary life, making Derry feel all too real.
Visually striking and emotionally charged, the show pays faithful tribute to King’s legacy while expanding its mythology with new characters and stories. With powerful performances, rich atmosphere, and slow-burning dread, IT: Welcome to Derry is a worthy and deeply unsettling return to one of horror’s most iconic nightmares.
This article is authored by Sakshi, an intern from St. Joseph’s Degree and PG College.