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Audiences are thrilled for the Stephen King adaptation Welcome to Derry, that's been receiving positive feedback and drawing from themes from other Stephen King works. Now, the broadcaster announced that episode two will arrive early, released fittingly for the spookiest night.

Early Release Details

Kicking off on October 31 at midnight PT, episode two of the Derry prequel will premiere on HBO's online platform, prior to its Sunday HBO premiere. The remaining installments of the eight-episode season will premiere on Sundays on the network and streaming service, culminating in the final episode on the 14th of December.

Storyline Summary

Taking place within Stephen King’s It universe, It: Welcome to Derry is inspired by the original story while building upon the universe realized by director Andy Muschietti in the recent movie adaptations. The original It highlighted young characters battling terrifying threats, so it’s fitting that the prequel follows in those footsteps. However, the first installment of the streaming show demonstrates it aimed to increase the tension, providing more frightening moments than Muschietti’s films and creating a brutal tone for the rest of the season.

Premise and Ideas

Set in 1962, this show presents a new generation of grown-ups and kids inhabiting a seemingly idyllic town concealing a dark secret. The town follows a cruel, recurring cycle—characterized by violence, bigotry, and the supernatural, as a terrifying being returns once every three decades. Even though Welcome to Derry might sound like it strays too near to the cinematic adaptations at first, what distinguishes the streaming show is its two-sided viewpoint—narrated via the viewpoints of young and old simultaneously. Children remain highly exposed to the entity's fear, but the adults don't escape facing their individual fears arising from Derry’s deep-seated bigotry and lurking supernatural forces.

It: Welcome to Derry debuts on Halloween at 12 a.m. Pacific Time.