Welcome to Derry: Exactly How Many Episodes Will Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise Haunt?
Red balloons are back: IT: Welcome to Derry premiered on HBO and HBO Max on October 26, 2025, kicking off an eight-episode prequel that unearths the twisted origin of Pennywise and the evil that haunted Derry long before the IT movies.
Back to Derry we go. HBO rolled out IT: Welcome to Derry on October 26, 2025, and it is exactly what it sounds like: a trip decades back to the town that keeps eating its young. It is a prequel set in the 1960s, eight episodes total, digging into how that ancient evil took root long before the movies we already know.
The basics
The show airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on HBO and Max. It is based on Stephen King’s novel but is stretching into new corners of the mythology. The vibe is very much in line with the films, which makes sense since Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti are executive producing again, and Andy directs multiple episodes, including the opener.
Yes, Bill Skarsgard is back (with a catch)
Bill Skarsgard is reprising Pennywise. How often? Still not confirmed. The team is being cagey about how many episodes he is in, which is deliberate. Barbara Muschietti spelled out the plan:
"To bring him out with all his complexity in the right moments. If you dissect the movies, Pennywise is not in the movies that much, but people feel It a lot when he is on camera. The last thing we want is to have an audience get comfortable with Pennywise."
Translation: if you were hoping for wall-to-wall clown, temper expectations. But also, recent interviews have hinted he is threaded into the story in more subtle ways, so you will feel him even when he is not on screen.
The cast and the setup
Alongside Skarsgard, the main cast includes Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, Taylour Paige, James Remar, Stephen Rider, and Madeleine Stowe. The series is planted squarely in the 1960s and is all about the earliest sparks of the thing that terrorizes Derry for generations.
The tone: nobody is safe
Andy Muschietti also teased that the show wastes no time reminding you how cruel this world can be:
"A narrative device to get people in that mindset where no one is safe."
So, expect the same unpredictable, mean streak that defined the films.
How It works (for the lore-minded)
One of the producers addressed a common misconception: It is not stuck in one body at a time. Even in the book, It can manifest as different forms and mess with people via hallucinations. The series leans on that canon, which is a handy way to keep the horror fresh without overusing the clown.
Episode 2 gets a Halloween treat
Unusual but fun wrinkle: Episode 2 drops early for the holiday. You can stream it on Friday, October 31, at 12:00 a.m. PT / 3:00 a.m. ET in celebration of Halloween. It will still air on HBO in its regular slot that Sunday, November 2, at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
Episode titles and release schedule
The first three titles are out: Episode 1 is The Pilot, Episode 2 is The Thing in the Dark, and Episode 3 is Now You See It. The rest are under wraps for now, but the season wraps December 14, 2025. Here is the full rollout:
- Episode 1 - The Pilot: October 26, 2025
- Episode 2 - The Thing in the Dark: October 31, 2025 (early streaming for Halloween at 12:00 a.m. PT / 3:00 a.m. ET) and on HBO Sunday, November 2, 9:00 p.m. ET/PT
- Episode 3 - Now You See It: November 9, 2025
- Episode 4 - TBA: November 16, 2025
- Episode 5 - TBA: November 23, 2025
- Episode 6 - TBA: November 30, 2025
- Episode 7 - TBA: December 7, 2025
- Episode 8 - TBA (Season Finale): December 14, 2025
Where to watch
In the U.S., it is on HBO and Max. Internationally, selected regions will get it via HBO, Sky Max, and NowTV.
Bottom line: the Muschiettis are back steering the ship, the 1960s setting gives the mythology some room to breathe, and Skarsgard’s Pennywise is lurking, not lounging. Sounds like Derry.