The Derry Prequel Series Releases Episode Two Early on HBO's Digital Service

Excitement is building for the horror series Welcome to Derry, which is earning acclaim and incorporating elements from other Stephen King works. Just one day after launch, the broadcaster has revealed that episode two will premiere ahead of schedule, scheduled ideally for October 31st.

Early Release Information

Beginning on October 31 at 3 a.m. EST, the second episode of the Derry prequel will premiere on the streaming service, ahead of its Sunday HBO premiere. Subsequent episodes of the show's first season will be released on Sunday nights on HBO and HBO Max, culminating in the concluding chapter on Sunday, December 14.

Show Background

Taking place within Stephen King’s It universe, It: Welcome to Derry borrows elements from the classic book while building upon the universe established by filmmaker Andy Muschietti in the recent movie adaptations. The first It movie focused on adolescents confronting unimaginable horrors, so it’s fitting that the series follows in those footsteps. Nevertheless, the first installment of the streaming show proves it intended to escalate the fear, offering more frightening moments than the cinematic versions and establishing a dark atmosphere for what's to come.

Setting and Themes

Located in the early '60s, the series presents a fresh cast of adults and children inhabiting a outwardly charming locale hiding a sinister core. This place follows a cruel, recurring cycle—characterized by hostility, discrimination, and otherworldly forces, as a terrifying being reappears once every three decades. While It: Welcome to Derry might seem like it leans too heavily to the films on the surface, what differentiates the streaming show is its parallel storytelling—unfolding through the viewpoints of young and old concurrently. Children stay highly exposed to It's terror, but grown-ups don't escape dealing with their personal demons arising from the town's ingrained prejudice and covert otherworldly powers.

The series debuts on October 31 at 12 a.m. Pacific Time.