IT: Welcome to Derry — release date, episode 1 details, full cast, and when new episodes drop

“IT: Welcome to Derry” has arrived, expanding Stephen King’s terrifying mythology with a 1962-set prequel led by Bill Skarsgård’s return as Pennywise. The series premiered on Sunday, October 26, 2025, and features an unusual early drop for Episode 2 on Halloween, before settling into a weekly Sunday schedule. Below you’ll find the exact timings, episode guide, main cast, and what to expect from the opening chapter.

When does IT: Welcome to Derry come out?

• Series premiere (Episode 1): Sunday, Oct. 26 at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT on its U.S. home channel, with simultaneous streaming on the companion platform.

• Weekly slot: Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT (U.S.).

• Special early drop: Episode 2 arrives Friday, Oct. 31 (Halloween) at 12:00 a.m. PT / 3:00 a.m. ET on streaming, then also airs in the regular Sunday TV slot on Nov. 2.

• UK & international: New episodes appear overnight into Monday via local partners; exact times vary by region and daylight-saving shifts.

If you’re searching “what time does Welcome to Derry come out,” the short answer is: Sundays at 9 p.m. ET weekly in the U.S., with the Halloween early release as the notable exception.

Welcome to Derry release schedule (Season 1)

Eight episodes total; schedule subject to change.

IT: Welcome to Derry cast

• Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise

• Jovan Adepo as Leroy Hanlon

• Taylour Paige as Charlotte Hanlon

• Chris Chalk as Hank Grogan

• James Remar as General Shaw

• Stephen Rider as Hank Grogan (appears across the adult storyline)

• Matilda Lawler, Amanda Christine, Mikkal Karim-Fidler (Teddy Uris), Jack Molloy Legault (Phil Malkin), Miles Ekhardt (Matty Clements), Clara Stack (Lilly), among others

Behind the scenes, the show is developed in continuity with the modern film duology, with creative leadership carried forward from those features.

Welcome to Derry episode 1: what happens and why it matters

Episode 1 plants the series firmly in 1962 Derry, Maine, charting the town’s simmering bigotry, missing persons, and whispered tragedies that prefigure the horrors to come. The Hanlon family’s arrival intersects with a string of unsettling incidents, while kids on the periphery—future echoes of a “Losers Club” archetype—begin to sense a malevolent pattern. Pennywise’s presence is more felt than seen, an omen that bends everyday life toward dread. The premiere balances slow-burn paranoia with punctuating shocks, setting up a season-long unraveling of Derry’s cursed cycles.

What time does Welcome to Derry come on? (quick reference)

• U.S. weekly: Sundays, 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT (TV + streaming).

• Special case: Episode 2 gets a Halloween streaming drop at 12:00 a.m. PT / 3:00 a.m. ET, then repeats in the usual Sunday TV slot.

• UK/Europe: Typically lands in the early hours Monday via regional carriers (times can shift around clock changes).

• Elsewhere: Check local listings; partners mirror the U.S. Sunday premiere window with regional offsets.

Pennywise returns: tone, setting, and what early reviews highlight

Set 27 years before the modern films, the series leans into period paranoia—Cold War anxieties, small-town power structures, and the way fear metastasizes into ritual cruelty. Early reactions point to Skarsgård’s chilling modulation, a grounded adult ensemble, and younger performers who anchor the show’s emotional stakes. The horror favors atmosphere and mounting inevitability over constant jump scares, while still delivering signature nightmare imagery. Reception and viewership numbers will evolve across the run; Episode 2’s Halloween shift is a clear bid to capitalize on the season.

New to the IT universe?

You don’t need to rewatch the films, but knowing that Derry’s evil feeds on fear and recurs in 27-year cycles enriches the subtext. Watch for connective tissue—names, locations, and artifacts—that quietly bridge to future events without spoiling where this story is headed.