HBO Drops Surprise Special Episode for Horror Prequel Series

HBO released a surprise 30-minute episode of "It: Welcome to Derry" titled "A Story of Derry" just in time for the spooky holiday. The special episode is set hundreds of years before the main show's events and the introduction of Pennywise.

Series Background

The horror series originally premiered on HBO Max on October 26, 2025. It is based on Stephen King's novel "It" and acts as a prequel to the two-part film reboot released in 2017 and 2019. HBO already renewed the show for a second season in August.

Season Two Details

Co-creator Andy Muschietti stated that the writers' room opened for Season 2 before the official renewal was announced. Season 2 goes back in time to 1935 during the Great Depression and centers on the bloody massacre of the Bradley Gang, a group of bank robbers who stop in Derry to buy ammunition and face horror. Muschietti noted that the season will feature depression-era characters trying to survive difficult circumstances. Season 1 is set in 1962 in the fictional town of Derry, Maine, exploring residents' early experiences with the shape-shifting clown Pennywise.

Context

Prequel television series based on hit horror movies often expand on fictional mythology by exploring earlier decades in the same universe. In this case, the story draws direct inspiration from the historical interludes and background lore found within Stephen King's original multi-generational novel.