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Since its title indicates so, it’s no surprise that It: Welcome to Derry serves as a prequel to Andy Muschietti’s popular adaptations of Stephen King’s It and It: Chapter Two. As the director has explained before, this series is meant to reintroduce viewers to the town’s dark past while also exploring Pennywise’s origins.
“You get a look at a bigger story for fans of the book and the movies. It’s like opening a window,” Muschietti told SFX magazine. “Everything we set up in season one will really come together in parts two and three — providing answers to all those bigger questions about It. What does It want? Why is It here? We’re going to clarify and expand on all those mysterious elements.”
But when does this story happen? It’s understandable if you’re confused, especially since Muschietti’s movies took some liberties with the timeline. They jump from 1958 (when the Losers Club faced Pennywise as kids) to 1988 to capitalize on ’80s nostalgia, like in Stranger Things and because Chapter Two takes place in contemporary times, rather than 1985 as in the original novel. Luckily, we’ve broken down the timeline below, so if you’re wondering when It: Welcome to Derry fits into the franchise’s expanding story, just keep reading.
Most of Welcome to Derry is set in 1962, which is 27 years before the events of the 2017 movie It. The opening scenes are set in January 1962, then jump ahead four months to April. Notably, in Stephen King’s book and movies, George Denbrough—the first child to fall victim—dies in October 1988, while much of the story happens during the summer that follows.
The year 1962 is significant for two reasons. First, Pennywise reappears roughly every 27 years to prey on the fears of new generations in Derry. Second, that was the year the Black Spot nightclub, a place for non-white locals, was burned down.
Muschietti, who developed the series with his sister Barbara Muschietti and writer Jason Fuchs, has made it clear that Welcome to Derry mainly draws from the novel’s interludes. These are the chapters where Mike Hanlon recounts Derry’s dark past, separate from the main storyline. A key moment involves Mike’s father, Will, telling him how he and his friends used to run the Black Spot and how it was attacked by a racist cult called the Maine Legion of White Decency.
Will also shares that he saw a giant bird carry off a victim during the fire, hinting at Pennywise’s shapeshifting presence that night. In the novel, this event took place in spring 1930, but in the 2017 movie, it is referenced as happening in 1962.
In the series, it’s implied that Mike’s parents died in a house fire, leading him to be raised by his grandparents, Leroy and Charlotte Hanlon—played by Jovan Adepo and Taylour Paige in Welcome to Derry. On the TV adaptation, Will is played by Blake Cameron James. In the book, Mike was 15 when his father died, making it likely that this series is tied into Muschietti’s movies.
Looking ahead, Muschietti has plans for three seasons, each revealing different past tragedies in Derry. These include the Black Spot fire, the 1930s robbery massacre, and the explosion at Kitchener Ironworks. Each event coincides with Pennywise’s reemergence cycle, as Andy Muschietti explained: “Every time Pennywise comes back, something disastrous happens at the start of that cycle.” The first season covers 1962, the second 1935, and the third 1908.
It: Welcome to Derry is premiering soon, on October 26, on HBO and HBO Max in the U.S., with the next day’s debut on Sky and NOW in the UK. Although some character details are still under wraps, it’s clear the creators aim to expand the story over three seasons, each exploring a different chapter in Derry’s haunted history.
Stay tuned for more updates on the upcoming seasons and other Stephen King adaptations worth watching.
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