(News4UsOnline) – Stephen King’s It traces its origins back to his 1986 horror novel, which later inspired the first on-screen adaptation in the 1990 television miniseries It, featuring Tim Curry’s now-iconic portrayal of Pennywise the Dancing Clown.
The chilling character would resurface decades later when King’s novel was reimagined and split into two cinematic timelines under the direction of Andy Muschietti.
The 2017 film It centers on the Losers’ Club as children living in the town of Derry, Maine, who confront Pennywise while navigating their own fears, trauma, and friendship. Together, they attempt to destroy the shape-shifting entity that feeds on fear and terrorizes the town’s youth.
Fast forward to It Chapter Two (2019), where the Losers’ Club has grown up and moved on with their lives—until they are called back to Derry. Mike Hanlon, the seventh member of the group, is the only one who stays behind.
As the town’s librarian and unofficial historian, Hanlon dedicates his life to investigating Pennywise, anticipating its inevitable return. His character also highlights the racism he endured as the only Black child in Derry, adding another layer of real-world horror to the story.
When Pennywise resurfaces, Hanlon becomes the glue that reunites the group, pushing them to confront their past and defeat the monster once and for all.
Building on the timeline of the films, HBO’s prequel series It: Welcome to Derry expands the mythology even further. Set in 1962, the series explores the town’s dark history and the origins of Pennywise’s terror.
The opening sequence introduces the disappearance of a young boy in Derry, marking one of the earliest known encounters with the clown. As the story unfolds, children begin witnessing disturbing events, with more kids mysteriously dying, signaling Pennywise’s growing presence.
Season one begins forming a new version of the Losers’ Club, continuing the franchise’s core theme: fear is not just a monster lurking in the shadows, but something deeply rooted in people, history, and the town itself.
As Derry’s children attempt to unravel the evil surrounding them, one man—proven innocent—finds himself wrongfully imprisoned for murders he did not commit, underscoring how fear and prejudice can destroy lives.
While the military attempts to track Pennywise in an effort to contain the darkness overtaking Derry, one man, Leroy Hanlon, is forced to protect his family from what is to come after they move to the town as the only Black family living there.
His storyline highlights how racial isolation and fear intersect, showing that the true horror of Derry extends beyond the supernatural.
The series not only feeds on childhood fear, but also delves into the traumatic memories carried into adulthood, bringing children and adults together in the fight to stop Pennywise from unleashing terror once again on the town of Derry.
Dating back to the 1960s, It: Welcome to Derry also showcases the prevalence of racism, most notably in Episode 7 with the depiction of the Black Spot—a space created for Black military men and community members to gather freely without interference from white residents.
This historical reality grounds the horror in truth, reminding viewers that fear existed in Derry long before Pennywise emerged.
For fans of Stephen King and his horror adaptations, It: Welcome to Derry is a must-watch series that keeps viewers glued to their screens, building suspense with each episode as Pennywise’s terror unfolds and new fears are revealed.
It: Welcome to Derry premiered on Oct. 26, 2025. The final episode aired on Dec. 14, 2025. Within weeks of its release, the series drew millions of viewers, becoming one of HBO’s top premieres.
Cover Art/Photo: “It: Welcome to Derry” Bill Skarsgard. Photo by Courtesy of HBO. Season 1, Episode 6
Archangel Apolonio is a reporter for News4usOnline and a graduate of CSU Dominguez Hills, where she studied broadcast journalism. Her passion for writing stems from a deep understanding of how different communities are impacted, and she is driven by a desire to connect with people through meaningful storytelling. Email Archangel @ ArchangelPolonio@gmail.com.
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