IT: Welcome to Derry, the supernatural horror television series created by Jason Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane, serves as a prequel to the IT film series that was released in 2017 and 2019. Based on the 1986 novel It by Stephen King, it seeks to expand the mythology of Pennywise the Clown in the early days of the settlement in Derry. The series premiered in the United States on October 26, 2025, on HBO.
Set in 1962, IT: Welcome to Derry season 1 opens with the Hanlon family moving into the eerie town in Maine to join the local air force base just as a young boy mysteriously disappears. Soon, Derry’s children are subjected to increasingly strange phenomena, from hearing voices inside drains to ominous red balloons floating across the street. As fear spreads through town, Pennywise the Dancing Clown makes himself known.
The series consists of eight episodes and has become a major success for the streaming platform, earning widespread praise from both critics and viewers. On Rotten Tomatoes, the popular film and television review site, it holds a 77% “fresh” critics’ rating, while the audience score is 85%.
Taylour Paige plays Charlotte in IT: Welcome to Derry, a schoolteacher who becomes entangled in the eerie happenings of the town after relocating there with her husband, Air Force Major Leroy Hanlon. As she settles into her new life, Charlotte gradually uncovers the dark secrets lurking beneath Derry’s surface, finding herself drawn into a web of fear and mystery that threatens both her family’s safety and her understanding of the strange town they now call home.
Taylour Paige is an American actress who gained popularity for her role in VH1's Hit the Floor. Some of her other projects include Zola, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, and The Toxic Avenger.
Jovan Adepo portrays Leroy Hanlon, an Air Force Major who becomes one of the earliest witnesses to the unsettling events in Derry. As his curiosity drives him to investigate the town’s growing strangeness, he is soon pulled into a series of chilling and inexplicable incidents. The further he searches for answers, the more he realizes the true horror lurking beneath Derry’s seemingly ordinary surface.
American actor Jovan Adepo is recognized for his roles in Babylon, Overlord, The Leftovers, Sorry For Your Loss and Jack Ryan.
Following IT in 2017 and IT: Chapter 2 in 2019, Bill Skarsgård returns as the infamous Pennywise in HBO’s It: Welcome to Derry. However, unlike the movies, the series limits his appearances, using his presence sparingly to preserve the character’s eerie mystery and heighten the suspense surrounding Derry’s haunting events.
Swedish actor Bill Skarsgård is well known for his work in projects such as Simple Simon, Hemlock Grove, Boy Kills World and John Wick: Chapter 4.
Chris Chalk plays Dick Hollorann in It: Welcome to Derry, a respected community leader who becomes aware of the unsettling occurrences haunting the town. As he senses the growing danger surrounding Derry, he takes it upon himself to protect its residents, determined to confront the darkness before it consumes everyone.
Chris Chalk has appeared in numerous films and TV series, including 12 Years a Slave, Gotham, Law & Order, Homeland, The Newsroom and Justified.
Clara Stack portrays Lilly, one of the central young characters in It: Welcome to Derry. From the very beginning, she comes face-to-face with the terrifying forces plaguing the town. Traumatized yet determined, Lilly embarks on a quest to uncover the truth behind the sinister events affecting her and her friends, confronting Derry’s hidden darkness head-on.
Clara Stack appeared in a number of popular series, including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Hawkeye, Bull, and The Naughty Nine.
The series boasts a strong supporting cast, featuring several talented actors in key secondary roles. Some of them are listed below:
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TOPICS: HBO Max, IT: Welcome to Derry Season 1