HBO Max series will show Derry before the movies

With a scheduled premiere for late 2025, the series "It: Welcome to Derry" will arrive on HBO Max expanding the universe created by Stephen King in "It: The Thing". The project serves as a prequel to the films released between 2017 and 2019, both directed by Andy Muschietti, who also returns in this production as director and executive producer.

The plot takes place in the 1960s, many years before the central events involving the Losers' Club. The proposal is to investigate the obscure events of the city of Derry, revealing how the evil that plagues the place manifests itself and impacts the residents before the return of Pennywise in the cinematic works. The setting in an earlier time allows the series to address social and cultural themes different from the films, as well as to better develop the mythology behind the evil entity.

According to the official description, the series focuses on "exploring the sinister history of Derry and delving into how the city is connected to this ancient evil".

The teaser released shows brief images that confirm the return of the characteristic psychological terror atmosphere of the franchise, as well as presenting Pennywise — who has not yet had the actor confirmed, but who should maintain the tone established by Bill Skarsgård in the films.

Produced by Warner Bros. Television in partnership with Double Dream and Vertigo Entertainment, the series seeks to sustain the success of the franchise in the audiovisual medium. The two previous films, It: The Thing (2017) and It: Chapter Two (2019), together grossed over US$ 1.17 billion at the global box office, solidifying themselves as one of the most successful adaptations of Stephen King's works.

"It: Welcome to Derry" still does not have a set premiere date, but the choice of HBO Max as the exclusive platform indicates a bet on the premium streaming model, similar to what was done with other recent horror series like "The Last of Us" and "True Detective: Night Country". It remains to be seen if the series format will be able to maintain the level of tension and impact of the previous productions in a new narrative pace.

The direction and supervision of Andy Muschietti may guarantee aesthetic and thematic coherence, but expectations also lie on the script — which has not been revealed. As always, the legacy of Stephen King weighs both as an asset and a challenge.