‘IT: Welcome to Derry’ Debuts With an Impressive Rotten Tomatoes Score
The world of Stephen King is returning to our screens, this time with the HBO series It: Welcome to Derry. The show acts as a prequel to the hit films It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019), taking viewers back to the dark and haunted town of Derry, Maine. Developed by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs, the same creative team behind the movies, the series dives deeper into the origins of Pennywise and the evil that has gripped the town for generations.
Set in 1962, the story follows a couple and their son who move to Derry just as a local boy goes missing. From there, things begin to spiral into darkness, as strange and terrifying events start to unfold.
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The cast includes Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Clara Stack, Amanda Christine, and Mikkal Karim-Fidler. Bill Skarsgård returns as the horrifying Pennywise the Clown and also serves as an executive producer.
The show’s production had its share of challenges. Development began back in 2022, but filming was briefly stopped in 2023 because of the SAG-AFTRA strike before wrapping up in August 2024. The series is now set to premiere on October 26, on HBO.
According to Rotten Tomatoes, It: Welcome to Derry currently holds an 82% score based on 33 reviews. Critics seem to agree that the show makes some bold creative choices early on, setting an unsettling tone that pays off. Many have pointed out that while the young cast might not have the same spark as the kids from the earlier movies or the 1990 miniseries, their performances still feel genuine and believable.
Some reviewers describe the series as a creepy expansion of the It universe, adding more lore, more strange creations, and more disturbing stories from Derry. Others say it paints a chilling picture of a town that has learned to coexist with evil, both human and supernatural.
A few critics have even compared it to The Boys, saying it’s just as shocking and daring, but in a horror setting. They note that it smartly uses not only the story of Derry but also hints at other parts of Stephen King’s larger world. Overall, the production quality has been praised, from its eerie visuals to its period setting.
The show makes a very bold decision early on that aims to make viewers feel unsafe, and it pays off. While the young actors’ on-screen chemistry doesn’t quite match the levels seen in the 1990 miniseries or…feature films, it remains convincing.
Melissa Hannon
Expanding on everything you loved about the IT films! More lore, more twisted creations and even more haunting tales from Derry! By exploring all of this the series breathes eerie new life into the King’s world, even if it takes a bit to find its rhythm
Zach Pope
A fascinating portrait of a town that has learned to live with evil, both supernatural and human in nature.
Belen Edwards
It: Welcome to Derry doesn’t just explore Stephen King’s familiar universe. It also gives a fresh perspective to both his monster and the sinister town that gives the book its title.
Aglaia Berlutti
This new IT prequel is to horror what The Boys is to superheroes. Shocking but also intriguing, this new series not only makes excellent use of the history of Stephen King’s Derry but his other works too. An excellent production from top to bottom.
Grace Randolph
Despite some pacing issues, most agree that It: Welcome to Derry manages to bring new life to King’s classic horror tale. As one review put it, “Hopefully, its strengths as a standalone horror series will prove its worth, because underneath all of its cultural baggage is a great period supernatural mystery.”
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