The Buenos Aires-born creators of IT and IT: Chapter Two, Andy and Barbara Muschietti are two of the most successful Latin American filmmakers in Hollywood. Their adaptations of the epic 1986 horror novel, IT, were huge box office hits, grossing over $1.1 billion and serving as some of the most notable reimaginings of Stephen King’s work. Now, six years after terrifying audiences, they join forces with Jason Fuchs (Wonder Woman) to bring us IT: Welcome to Derry.

The HBO Max prequel revisits the story of the killer clown Pennywise. Based on the events of King’s novel and the Muschietti films, the series explores the past of the evil entity that inhabits the town’s sewers, terrorizing and transcending generations. “One of the great things about the book is no one ever gets to know the truth about IT – and that’s where our curiosity goes… The purpose [of the show] is shedding some light onto those mysteries,” Andy Muschietti told Esquire.

This new chapter in the supernatural horror franchise is expected to run for three seasons, set in 1962, 1935, and 1908, in keeping with the cyclical nature of IT. Swedish actor Bill Skarsgård is back in his sinister role as Pennywise, and Andy Muschietti directs several installments.

What Is IT: Welcome to Derry About?

Every 27 years, a multitude of children disappear in Derry, Maine, and the adults become increasingly blind and insensitive to it. The new story begins in 1962 against the backdrop of the Cold War and before the events narrated in the novel and the first film.

The eight-part season focuses on two threads related to the Hanlon family. On the one hand, the plot follows a squad of soldiers, including the fearless commander Leroy Hanlon (Jovan Adepo), his loyal friend and colleague Pauly Russo (Brazilian-American actor/filmmaker Rudy Mancuso), and the powerfully psychic aviator Dick Hallorann (Chris Chalk). On the other hand, it details a new version of the “Losers Club,” who are trying to figure out the disappearance of one of their friends. Welcome to Derry begins with terrifying promises that it quickly delivers on.

Faced with the possibility of nuclear conflict and under the orders of General Shaw (James Remar), the military base near Derry implements a confidential program involving the interdimensional entity. Meanwhile, our gang of outcasts, led by the compassionate and traumatized Lilly (Clara Stack), embarks on a tenacious investigation to shed light on the recent disappearances and, above all, put an end to the strange attacks plaguing their town. Unaware of what they are up against, Lilly and her friends, as well as the military forces, turn their sights on Pennywise – who will soon use his devious and supernatural abilities to lead them to their doom. The series does not skimp on shocking and graphic horror scenes, maintaining the spirit of the book.

Unlike previous interpretations, in which the evil creature feeds exclusively on the individual fears of its victims, Welcome to Derry weaves in the horror of the Cold War, exploring the era’s collective anxiety, racial tensions, systematic abuse, invasion of Indigenous lands, and use of fear as a weapon.

These concerns add real depth, as do ties to King’s universe with the first season connecting to iconic films like The Shining and The Shawshank Redemption.

The Origins of Evil

To unravel the origins of IT/Pennywise, the new HBO series largely draws on the book’s “interludes,” which examine the historical and cultural background of Derry, and in particular the “catastrophic events” that have defined the town. “The interludes are basically chapters that reflect Mike Hanlon’s research… For 27 years, it’s the guy trying to figure out what it is, what did it, who did it, who saw it, and all that stuff,” Andy Muschietti told Collider.

Based on these fragments and with some truly surprising plot twists, the prequel reveals the true identity of the city, its ancestral heritage, and the darkness that lurks beneath the surface. Throughout the episodes, Welcome to Derry explains how and why indigenous communities have been instrumental in containing IT.

For the show’s creators, it’s not just about delving into cosmic and ancestral horror, but also about presenting a heartbreaking exploration of human nature as the source of all kinds of horrors. Welcome to Derry delves into the idea that evil thrives and takes root when people ignore the suffering of others, especially children. It’s a meditation on collective apathy and cycles of violence – and this grounding in reality makes it particularly horrifying.

So, Should I Watch It?

“Welcome to Derry is amazing. The first episode is terrifying,” Stephen King said on social media, and to be honest, I agree. Like other prequel series Alien: Earth and Andor, this HBO show feels pleasantly familiar and yet completely new. It’s a never-before-told story that provides an extremely chilling, intense, and disturbing experience. Designed with surgical precision and provocative imagery, Welcome to Derry undoubtedly enriches its source material.