IT: Welcome to Derry’s Premiere Goes Off The Rails

Spoilers Ahead!

What if the U.S. military tried to capture Pennywise? Welcome to Derry just took Stephen King’s mythology to the next level — and it’s wild.

The long-awaited IT prequel just dropped, and it’s a blood-soaked dive into Derry’s haunted past. Set in 1962, the first episode reimagines the Losers Club with a new generation of kids — only to brutally kill most of them in a shocking twist that proves no one is safe this time.

But beyond the carnage, Welcome to Derry ties Stephen King’s universe tighter than ever. From Dick Halloran (The Shining) returning to face Pennywise, to Leroy Hanlon’s fearless role in a military conspiracy, this premiere sets up a season that’s both terrifying and ambitious. The revelation that the government knows about Pennywise — and plans to weaponize him using alien shards known as the 13 pillars — might just make this the boldest King adaptation yet.

We break down every Easter egg, connection, and insane moment that makes this premiere one of the most shocking starts to a horror series in years. Derry is back — and it’s never been darker.

0:00 Welcome to Derry Premiere Breakdown
1:35 Pennywise’s New Victims
3:20 The Shining Crossover Explained
4:55 The Black Spot & Stephen King Timeline
6:40 Military Plot Twist: Pennywise as a Weapon
8:05 What Season 1 Sets Up Next

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Video by: Michael Keene & Ilgaz Erel

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