‘Welcome to Derry’: release date, tonight’s premiere time, and how the Stephen King prequel fits with Bill Skarsgård’s return

Horror returns to Maine: Welcome to Derry—the prequel set in Stephen King’s chilling universe—premieres tonight, Sunday, October 26, 2025, with Bill Skarsgård reprising his role as Pennywise. The series dives into the town’s earlier cycle of dread, charting how fear takes root long before the Losers Club era.

When does ‘Welcome to Derry’ come out?

If you’re searching “Welcome to Derry release date” or “when does Welcome to Derry come out?”, the answer is tonight—October 26, 2025. The series debuts at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT in North America. In the UK, the premiere appears in the early hours of Monday, Oct. 27 (local time), with an evening replay that day. Regional listings may vary; scheduling is subject to change.

At a glance

• Premiere: Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025

• Weekly cadence: Sundays (ET/PT)

• Format: Hour-long episodes (eight-episode season)

• Where to watch: The show’s official linear channel with same-time streaming on its official app in supported regions.

Is it called ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’ or ‘Welcome to Derry’?

You’ll see both phrases in searches like “IT Welcome to Derry” and “IT Welcome to Derry release date.” The series is marketed as Welcome to Derry, firmly tied to Stephen King’s It mythos and the recent film duology’s continuity.

Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise is back

For those asking about Bill Skarsgård: yes—he’s back under the greasepaint. His portrayal of Pennywise remains the connective tissue between screen incarnations, giving the prequel both a familiar face and a new origin corridor to explore. Expect a performance that shifts from carnivalesque whimsy to predatory stillness in a blink, now refracted through events decades before the kids on Barrens bikes.

What ‘Welcome to Derry’ covers (no spoilers)

Set in the early 1960s, the series maps the town’s social fractures—class, race, and the secrets adults agree not to see—against the cyclical horror that feeds on fear. Longtime readers will recognize threads from interludes in the novel: historical disappearances, fires, and “accidents” that form a pattern once you know where to look. Rather than retread familiar beats, the show builds a civic biography of Derry itself, turning the town into the main character.

Key themes to watch:

• Cycles and memory: How a community forgets on purpose—and what that enables.

• Institutional complicity: Newspapers, churches, and city halls that smooth over the unsayable.

• Predation as ritual: The mechanics of an evil that keeps time better than people do.

Episode 1 release time and global rollout

• U.S./Canada: 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT (linear and same-time streaming).

• UK: Early Oct. 27 (overnight premiere) with a 9:00 p.m. local repeat.

• Other regions: Check the show’s official app or local listings—time zones and windows differ.

Programming is occasionally adjusted for sports or special events; always verify day-of.

‘Welcome to Derry’ schedule (Season 1)

Schedule subject to change in all regions.

How it connects to Stephen King’s ‘It’

This is a canon prequel within the modern screen continuity: same town, same rules of appetite and fear, earlier cycle. Fans of the films will spot stylistic echoes—balloons as omen, color motifs, odd civic rituals—while newcomers get an entry point that doesn’t require prior viewing to feel the dread.

Quick answers to common searches

• Welcome to Derry release date: October 26, 2025 (tonight).

• When does ‘IT Welcome to Derry’ come out? Tonight at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT (regional timing varies).

• Is Bill Skarsgård in it? Yes—Skarsgård returns as Pennywise.

• Is S1 eight episodes? Yes—eight, released weekly.

• Where can I watch? The show’s official TV channel and companion streaming app in your region.

Keep the lights on, close the drain, and don’t trust a smile with too many teeth—Welcome to Derry opens its doors tonight.