The 9:15 PM start time for HBO Max’s “IT: Welcome to Derry” panel at San Diego Comic-Con should have been the first warning. What followed was 10 minutes of footage so disturbing and graphically violent that it immediately explained why this Stephen King prequel series earned such a late slot—and why parents will want to keep their kids far away when it premieres this October.
A Nightmare Road Trip Opens the Series
The preview opens in 1962 Derry with a troubled 10-year-old boy—bruises on his face, clutching a pacifier—fleeing an angry movie theater usher into the snowy night. When a seemingly helpful family offers him a ride to Portland, Maine, the sequence quickly spirals into pure nightmare fuel.
The teenage daughter casually opens a container marked “Liver,” dips her fingers in blood, and holds them up for the boy to smell. Despite his protests, the car mysteriously circles back toward Derry as the family grows increasingly deranged, chanting “O-U-T!” in mocking unison when he begs to escape.
The horror peaks when the panicked boy grabs the steering wheel, causing chaos that triggers the pregnant mother’s labor. What emerges isn’t human—it’s a demonic, fanged creature with bat-like wings that the mother gleefully controls via umbilical cord before it violently attacks the boy, smashing his head through the car window.
The sequence ends with the boy’s pacifier floating toward a familiar sewer drain, complete with that ominous light at the end—classic IT territory that had Comic-Con audiences both thrilled and genuinely disturbed.
The Muschietti Siblings Reveal Major Plot Details
After the jaw-dropping footage, producers Andy and Barbara Muschietti—who directed and produced the recent IT films—shared tantalizing details about their HBO Max prequel:
Pennywise Origins Explored: The series will finally reveal how the ancient entity became Pennywise the Clown, including the significance of the mysterious “Bob Gray” name Stephen King mentioned in his original novel.
King’s Time-Travel Concept: Stephen King himself suggested the brilliant reverse-chronology approach. Season 1 covers 1962, with potential Season 2 jumping back to 1935 and Season 3 to 1908—each exploring IT’s 27-year return cycle through Derry’s darkest historical moments.
Historical Horror: Andy confirmed they’re building episodes around catastrophic events from King’s books, including the Black Spot juke joint burning, the Bradley gang massacre, and the Kitchener Ironworks explosion.
No Content Restrictions: Barbara expressed amazement at how graphic HBO Max allowed them to be, promising “a lot more of that.” Andy playfully (maybe?) added there would be “one full frontal after another”—referencing the opening’s most shocking visual.
Major Character Connections Revealed
The series won’t just explore IT’s past—it’s weaving connections throughout King’s universe:
- Leroy Hanlon (Jovan Adepo) serves as grandfather to Mike Hanlon, one of IT’s main characters
- Dick Halloran from The Shining gets a major role, played by Chris Chalk, as a soldier who helped establish the Black Spot
- Multiple other IT character connections are planned, some obvious and others deeply hidden
What’s Coming Next
The panel concluded with a new trailer showcasing a family’s move to Derry and their gradual discovery of the town’s supernatural dangers. Eagle-eyed fans spotted familiar locations like the Neibolt House and Pennywise’s wagon, plus a Shawshank Prison bus—another King universe easter egg.
Bill Skarsgård returns as Pennywise, ensuring continuity with the recent films while exploring entirely new territory in the character’s mythology.
The Verdict
Based on this footage, “IT: Welcome to Derry” appears ready to push horror boundaries even further than its film predecessors. The Muschiettis have crafted something that feels both connected to the beloved IT movies and completely its own beast—one that’s not afraid to traumatize viewers in entirely new ways.
IT: Welcome to Derry premieres October 2024 on HBO Max.
