It: Welcome to Derry Reveals Pennywise’s Origin in Reverse

As we dive deeper into the ever-expanding universe of Stephen King adaptations, it’s hard to keep track of all the new projects coming our way. Right now, you’ve got MGM+’s The Institute, The Life of Chuck in theaters, trailers for The Running Man and The Long Walk, The Monkey on Hulu soon, and let’s not forget about Mike Flannagan’s upcoming Carrie and potentially The Dark Tower series. And that’s not even counting all the other exciting stuff in the works. But the one that has everyone buzzing is HBO’s It: Welcome to Derry, which just dropped a brand new trailer.

Stephen King’s stories often take us back to two familiar places: Castle Rock and Derry, both fictional cities in Maine. While Castle Rock had its own successful TV series, this October we find ourselves in Derry, home to the infamous Pennywise the clown.

It: Welcome to Derry serves as a prequel to the events of It, giving us an origin story for the creepy clown we all know and fear. The show is planned to span three seasons, starting in 1962 and traveling back in time to 1935 and 1908. With Andy Muschietti, director of the recent It movies, on board as a co-developer, and Bill Skarsgård reprising his role as Pennywise, it’s clear that this series is connected to the popular films.

The new trailer hints at a town with a lot more going on beyond Pennywise’s shenanigans. Expect supernatural events and a deep dive into the mysteries of Derry. While the show is set in a specific time period, it’s unlikely to incorporate all the other stories King has set in the area. Derry has been the setting for several other tales by King, like Secret Window, Secret Garden and 11/22/63, but this series seems to be focusing on Pennywise’s story.

With just a few months left until the series premiere, fans are eagerly anticipating the spooky delights that It: Welcome to Derry will bring. In the meantime, be sure to check out Muschietti’s It movies—they’re a great place to start before diving into this new series.