The primary opinions for IT: Welcome to Derry are lastly rolling in, giving the Stephen King horror collection a promising Rotten Tomatoes rating earlier than it debuts on HBO. Based mostly on Stephen King’s 1986 IT novel, the collection serves as a prequel to Andy Muschietti’s field workplace hit duology IT (2017) and IT: Chapter Two (2019).
IT: Welcome to Derry premieres its first episode on HBO on Sunday, October 26, with season 1 comprising eight whole episodes releasing weekly by means of December 14. Starring James Remar, Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, and Chris Chalk, alongside Invoice Skarsgård returning as Pennywise the Clown, season 1 brings the story again to the terrors Derry skilled in 1962.
The return to Derry appears to be kicking off with a promising begin, as IT: Welcome to Derry has debuted with a “Licensed Recent” 82% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, calculated from 33 opinions. Nevertheless, this rating is predicted to fluctuate as extra opinions preserve rolling in forward of the collection premiere and after the present formally hits HBO. Since Welcome to Derry hasn’t premiered but, there’s presently no viewers rating obtainable.
Critics are praising IT: Welcome to Derry‘s thrilling story, chilling scares, and solid performances, with Dick Hallorann actor Chris Chalk being a notable standout. The collection seems to be doubling down on the factors of success from Muschietti’s IT films, with many critics calling it a worthy return to the creepy city of Derry for followers of the franchise.
Whereas some opinions word feeling underwhelmed by the script, the prequel appears to be making up for it with putting visuals and compelling horror. ScreenRant gave IT: Welcome to Derry a optimistic assessment, emphasizing the present’s gifted solid, continuous scares, and distinctive visuals.
The HBO collection’ present rating falls within the vary of 2025’s different Stephen King diversifications thus far, following The Lengthy Stroll‘s 89% score, The Monkey‘s 77% rating, The Institute‘s 64% score, and The Lifetime of Chuck‘s 80% rating. The score can be nonetheless spectacular inside the IT franchise, presently giving it the second-highest rating of the novel’s diversifications after IT (2017).
|
IT Variations |
Rotten Tomatoes Rating |
|---|---|
|
IT: Welcome to Derry (2025) |
82% |
|
IT: Chapter Two (2019) |
62% |
|
IT (2017) |
85% |
|
Stephen King’s IT (1990) |
67% |
Nevertheless, it is a slower begin in comparison with HBO’s earlier Stephen King TV adaptation, The Outsider, which debuted in 2020 and presently holds a powerful 91% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. That stated, it is nonetheless doable that IT: Welcome to Derry‘s optimistic opinions might see an uptick because the season progresses, as was not too long ago the case with the Rotten Tomatoes rating of HBO’s miniseries Activity.
- Launch Date
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October 26, 2025
- Community
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HBO
- Administrators
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Andy Muschietti