🎈It: Welcome to Derry — Episode Guide, Release Schedule & What’s Next After Episode 3

“In Derry, fear doesn’t die — it hibernates.” 💀

HBO’s It: Welcome to Derry has already proven it’s not just another horror prequel — it’s a full-blown psychological descent into the twisted history of Stephen King’s most cursed town.Now that Episode 3 — “Now You See It” is about to drop, fans are desperate to know: When do new episodes come out? What’s happened so far? And how will Pennywise rise again?

This guide breaks down everything — from past episodes to upcoming release dates — so you’ll never miss a single scream.

🩸 It: Welcome to Derry — At a Glance

• Series Title: It: Welcome to Derry

• Network: HBO / Max

• Premiere Date: October 26, 2025

• Episode Count: 8 episodes (weekly release)

• Genre: Supernatural Horror, Psychological Thriller

• Timeline: Set in 1962 — decades before It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019)

• Creators: Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, Jason Fuchs

• Based On: It by Stephen King

• Main Cast: Bill Skarsgård, Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Clara Stack, Amanda Christine, Chris Chalk

⚰️ Episode Guide – What’s Happened So Far

Episode 1 – “The Pilot” (October 26, 2025)

Directed by Andy MuschiettiWritten by Jason Fuchs

The horror begins in Derry, Maine, 1962. A young boy named Matty Clements mysteriously disappears after a nightmarish encounter — and something ancient awakens beneath the town.

Meanwhile, Major Leroy Hanlon (Jovan Adepo) arrives with his wife Charlotte (Taylour Paige) and their son Will, unaware they’ve moved into a place cursed by generations of fear. Across town, Lilly Bainbridge (Clara Stack) starts seeing terrifying visions — including Matty’s mutilated hands and children’s songs echoing from the sewers.

By the end, an unspeakable creature emerges during a cinema scene — one that will haunt Derry forever.

🩸 Highlights:

• First hints of Pennywise’s return.

• Derry’s children begin to vanish.

• Creepy homage to the “You’ll float too” legacy.

Episode 2 – “The Thing in the Dark” (November 2, 2025)

Directed by Andy MuschiettiWritten by Austin Guzman

Derry spirals deeper into chaos as more disappearances strike. Hank Grogan (Stephen Rider) becomes a prime suspect, while General Shaw (James Remar) pushes Leroy to retrieve a mysterious “weapon” capable of instilling mortal fear.

Lilly’s nightmares intensify, and Ronnie Grogan (Amanda Christine) hears voices from the sewers near the movie theater. Meanwhile, Hallorann (Chris Chalk) joins the search — bringing echoes of The Shining’s supernatural “shine.”

In the episode’s chilling final moments, the Army finds a car filled with corpses, serving as a grim warning: Pennywise is stirring.

🎈 Key Takeaways:

• The Army’s “weapon” hunt is tied to Pennywise’s origins.

• Derry’s children are hearing voices — and seeing things no one else can.

• The line between government experiments and supernatural evil begins to blur.

Episode 3 – “Now You See It” (November 9, 2025)

Directed by Andrew Bernstein Written by Guadalis Del Carmen & Gabe Hobson

It: Welcome to Derry Episode 3 promises the series’s first real confrontation with Pennywise the Dancing Clown.

As Lilly returns from the Juniper Hill asylum, she finds Derry more paranoid than ever. Leroy unravels the Army’s hidden agenda, while visions begin to spill into reality — mirrors, shadows, and voices from the drains.

This is where the myth of Derry’s curse solidifies, and fear itself becomes a living entity.

👁️ What to Expect:

• Pennywise’s first full appearance.

• The truth behind the “weapon” that feeds on fear.

• Tension between the Hanlons and the military intensifies.

📅 Upcoming Episodes – Release Schedule

Episode	Title	Director	Writer	Release Date
4	The Great Swirling Apparatus of Our Planet's Function	Andy Muschietti	Helen Shang	November 16, 2025
5	Neibolt Street	TBA	Brad Caleb Kane	November 23, 2025
6	TBA	TBA	Jason Fuchs, Cord Jefferson & Brad Caleb Kane	November 30, 2025
7	TBA	TBA	Jason Fuchs & Brad Caleb Kane	December 7, 2025
8	Finale – TBA	TBA	Jason Fuchs	December 14, 2025

Each episode airs Sundays at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT on HBO, and is available to stream on Max immediately after broadcast.

🌍 Release Times by Region:

• 🇺🇸 United States: 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT (HBO / Max)

• 🇨🇦 Canada: 9 PM ET (Crave)

• 🇬🇧 United Kingdom: Mondays at 2 AM GMT (Sky Atlantic / NOW)

• 🇦🇺 Australia: Mondays at 12 PM AEDT (Binge / Foxtel Now)

🎭 Main Cast – The Faces of Fear

Actor	Character	Role
Bill Skarsgård	Pennywise	The shapeshifting evil that feeds on fear.
Taylour Paige	Charlotte Hanlon	A mother trying to protect her family in a cursed town.
Jovan Adepo	Major Leroy Hanlon	A soldier haunted by more than just war.
Clara Stack	Lilly Bainbridge	A girl with terrifying visions.
Amanda Christine	Ronnie Grogan	A brave friend who hears voices from the sewers.
Chris Chalk	Dick Hallorann	A man with “the shining,” linked to Derry’s supernatural pulse.
James Remar	General Shaw	Desperate to control the “weapon” of fear.
Stephen Rider	Hank Grogan	A father caught between suspicion and survival.

🎈 What’s Next for Welcome to Derry

The next few episodes are expected to tie directly into the origins of Pennywise’s first cycle of terror, long before the Losers’ Club. Fans can expect:

• The Neibolt Street house is revealed in Episode 5.

• A shocking flashback to the creature’s arrival in Derry.

• The introduction of the Ritual of Chüd’s first reference.

• The final two episodes set up the events that lead into It (2017).

“Pennywise doesn’t just appear… he’s summoned by fear itself.”

🔥 Why Fans Can’t Look Away

It: Welcome to Derry is doing what few horror prequels can — expanding the mythology without losing the dread. Every week, more pieces of Derry’s cursed history fall into place, and each episode inches us closer to the moment Pennywise returns in full force.

Bill Skarsgård’s chilling return, combined with Andy Muschietti’s eerie direction, makes this one of the most anticipated horror shows of the year.

If you love The Shining or Doctor Sleep, this series is your must-watch horror event of 2025.