It prequel series Welcome to Derry gets first look and teaser trailer

Welcome to Derry
(Image credit: HBO Max)

Max has unveiled the first look at its upcoming It prequel series Welcome to Derry.

The upcoming series set in the world of Stephen King's It universe, is based on King's It novel, and expands the vision established by filmmaker Andy Muschietti and his producing partner Barbara in the feature films It and It Chapter Two. The teaser, less than 30 seconds long, was released as part of Max's "The One to Watch in 2024" trailer for their slate of new releases.

The brief footage teases the town of Derry, our young new protagonists riding through Derry on their bikes, and the discovery of that infamous red balloon. The cast includes Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, Taylour Paige, James Remar, Stephen Rider, and Madeleine Stowe. Per Variety, Jason Fuchs wrote the teleplay for episode one, based on a story by him and the Muschietti.

Muschietti shared a behind-the-scenes look earlier this year, posting a photo of a door that reads "Clint Bowers Chief of Police." While Clint Bowers appears to be an original character written for the show, Clint is no doubt related to novel and movie antagonist Henry Bowers (who is almost worse than Pennywise if we're being honest). Since the show is set during the 1960s, almost three decades before the events of It, it's likely Clint is Henry's grandfather, and the father of Henry's police chief father Oscar.

Welcome to Derry was initially slated for a 2024 release before production was delayed due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. The series will now debut in 2025.

For more, check out our list of the best new TV shows coming your way in 2024 and beyond.

Lauren Milici
Senior Writer, Tv & Film

Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for GamesRadar+ currently based in the Midwest. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.

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