One of my most anticipated projects of 2025 is HBO En: Welcome to Derrya nine-episode prequel series that expands the lore of Stephen King’s iconic horror masterpiece, IT.
The project comes from Andy AND Barbara Muschietti alongside Jason Fuchs, and the series promises to dive deep into the sinister history of Derry and its terrifying shape-shifting predator, Pennywise.
In a recent interview with Radio TU, Andy Muschiettiwhich he directed IT AND EN: chapter twohave revealed their ambitious plans for the series and are looking to deliver a chilling, interconnected story across three seasons.
But, as with any series, its continuation depends on the success of its first season, which will debut later this year on HBO and streaming on Max.
The first season of Welcome to Derry is set in 1962, a few years before the events of EN: chapter one. From there, the story will go back in time with the planned second season exploring 1935 and the third season taking viewers to 1908.
Speaking about this unique structure, Muschietti explains, “There’s a reason the story is told backwards.”
The story draws inspiration from the interludes in Stephen Kingis the original novel, detailing the research conducted by Mike Hanlon as he reconstructs Derry’s dark history.
Muschietti explains: “The interludes are basically chapters that reflect Mike Hanlon’s research… fragments of his research. For 27 years, he’s the man trying to figure out what he is, what he did, who did it, who saw it and all that stuff.”
Each season will focus on catastrophic events related to Pennywise’s cycles of terror, which occur every 27 years.
Muschietti jokes: “We talk about catastrophic events from the past, like the fire at the Black Spot… the massacre of the Bradley Gang, a gang of bank robbers in the 1930s… and the Kitchener Ironworks explosion.”
These historical tragedies form the backbone of the three planned seasons, each offering a deeper exploration of Derry’s dark past and the monstrous influence of Pennywise.
Muschietti confirms: “We will base the three seasons of this series on each of these catastrophic events.”
With Warner Bros. happy with how the first season turned out, there is already strong interest in fast-tracking the second season.
I loved the direction they are taking this series and I hope we see how the stories develop over the course of three seasons!
As fans eagerly await the series premiere, it’s clear that Welcome to Derry is ready to deliver a terrifying new expansion of the IT universe, delving into the roots of the horror that has haunted generations of Derry residents. Prepare to witness the blood-soaked history of this cursed city unfold when the series debuts on HBO later this year.
Stay tuned for more updates on what promises to be one of the most chilling shows of the year.
Here are some details about each of the trees’ stories:
The black spot:
The Black Spot is one of the most memorable stories and is told by Mike Hanlon’s father, Will Hanlon, a story he kept hidden until his final days. In ItIn the second interlude, Mike visits his father in the hospital and listens to him recount a heartbreaking chapter from his youth.
Years earlier, Will Hanlon and his fellow Air Force servicemen had created a nightclub called The black spot, a refuge for black patrons in a time of segregation and entrenched racism.
One night, Maine’s Legion of White Decency, a violent supremacist group, burned the club to the ground, killing many innocent people. And while the Legion started the fire, something far more sinister lurked in the flames…It himself, taking the form of a monstrous bird, who abducts his victims amidst the fiery chaos.
One of the people inside was a young Dick Halloran The Shining Onewho worked in the club kitchen.
The Bradley Gang:
The Bradley Gang was a group of Depression-era outlaws who came to Derry in 1929 to hide from the FBI. They are shot dead by members of the Derry community on Canal Street in mid-afternoon, as they arrive at Machen’s sporting goods shop to collect a shipment of ammunition.
Mike Hanlon remembers seven members of the Bradley gang, although Norbert Keene, who was alive during the ambush, remembers eight members. The gang consists of its leader, Al Bradley, and his brother, George.
They rob six or seven banks in the Midwest and kidnap a banker for a thirty thousand dollar ransom before deciding to kill the banker anyway.
The other members of the gang are brothers Joe and Cal Conklin, Arthur “Creeping Jesus” Malloy, the handsome Patrick Caudy, George’s common-law wife, Kitty Donahue, and Caudy’s on-and-off girlfriend, Marie Hauser.
The Kitchener Ironworks explosion:
The Kitchener Ironworks was an ironworks outside Derry. In 1906, despite all the machinery being worked on having been completely shut down, the Ironworks inexplicably exploded, killing a group of 88 children and 102 people in total who were taking part in an Easter egg hunt.
The tragedy was caused by sabotage of equipment, allegedly responsible for the disappearance of eight bodies. This marked the beginning of the creature’s 27-year hibernation period.
by Joey Paur
Source: Geek Tyrant
Lloyd Grunewald is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. He is a talented writer who focuses on bringing the latest entertainment-related news to his readers. With a deep understanding of the entertainment industry and a passion for writing, Lloyd delivers engaging articles that keep his readers informed and entertained.
.jpg "SEVERANCE’s John Turturro has never seen the show; The co-stars joke: they can’t give spoilers because they have been separated")
