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Fans are eagerly awaiting for the Stephen King adaptation Welcome to Derry, that's been receiving positive feedback and weaving in themes from other Stephen King works. Now, the broadcaster has revealed that episode two will debut sooner than expected, timed perfectly for the spookiest night.

Premiere Shift Details

Beginning on October 31 at 12 a.m. Pacific Time, the next part of It: Welcome to Derry will launch on HBO Max, prior to its traditional TV airing. Subsequent episodes of the show's first season will be released on Sunday nights on the network and streaming service, leading up to the final episode on Sunday, December 14.

Show Background

Based in Stephen King’s It universe, the new series draws from the original story while building upon the world brought to life by the It movie director in the recent movie adaptations. The first It movie centered on adolescents confronting supernatural evils, making it appropriate that this show continues that tradition. Yet, the debut of HBO’s Welcome to Derry demonstrates it intended to escalate the fear, offering more frightening moments than the cinematic versions and setting a brutal tone for the rest of the season.

Setting and Themes

Taking place in the 1960s, this show features a new generation of adults and children residing in a seemingly idyllic town hiding a sinister core. Derry functions through a vicious, repeating pattern—characterized by aggression, prejudice, and paranormal events, as a evil entity reappears every 27 years. Although It: Welcome to Derry might seem like it strays too near to the films initially, what sets apart the digital program is its two-sided viewpoint—narrated via the viewpoints of young and old at the same time. The kids are particularly vulnerable to It's terror, but older characters also face dealing with their own nightmares stemming from local discrimination and hidden paranormal elements.

It: Welcome to Derry airs on the 31st of October at midnight PT.