🔗 Share this article

Excitement is building for the Stephen King adaptation the Derry series, which is garnering praise and drawing from elements from additional King stories. Now, HBO declared that episode two will arrive early, timed perfectly for the spookiest night.

Early Release Details

Starting on October 31 at 12 a.m. Pacific Time, episode two of Welcome to Derry will premiere on HBO Max, prior to its Sunday HBO premiere. The remaining installments of the series run will continue to air on Sundays on HBO and HBO Max, culminating in the final episode on the 14th of December.

Show Background

Taking place within the Derry mythology, It: Welcome to Derry borrows elements from King’s iconic novel while expanding on the universe realized by the It movie director in It and It Chapter Two. It Chapter One focused on young characters battling terrifying threats, so it’s fitting that the prequel continues that tradition. Nevertheless, the first installment of the streaming show proves it aimed to raise the stakes, offering even more intense scares than Muschietti’s films and setting a harsh vibe for the rest of the season.

Story World and Concepts

Located in the early '60s, this show introduces a new generation of grown-ups and kids living in a outwardly charming locale concealing a sinister core. This place functions through a cruel, recurring cycle—defined by violence, bigotry, and the supernatural, as a monstrous presence returns each 27-year cycle. Even though It: Welcome to Derry might seem like it strays too near to the cinematic adaptations on the surface, what differentiates the streaming show is its dual perspective—unfolding through the eyes of both children and adults concurrently. Children stay particularly vulnerable to the entity's fear, but the adults aren’t spared confronting their personal demons arising from local discrimination and hidden paranormal elements.

The series airs on Halloween at 3 a.m. EST.