For three full years, fans have waited patiently, eager to gobble up any information about the prequel series It: Welcome to Derry. The latest film series, helmed by Andy Muschietti, was a massive hit and put the story first penned by Stephen King back into the spotlight — not that it went anywhere to begin with. Now, after shifting timelines and numerous teasers, the moment has nearly arrived for those of us at home to tune into the series premiere on October 26. However, critics already seem to be rather split on how Muschietti and his frequent collaborator and sister, Barbara Muschietti, and their co-developer, Jason Fuchs, stuck the landing in the episodic prequel as, right now, the series sits on Rotten Tomatoes with a mixed 78% critics’ approval rating.
To be fully fair, its rating still allows it to carry the bragging rights of being a Certified Fresh production, but it doesn’t look to be as promising as Muschietti’s 2017 film, It, which landed an 85% critics’ stamp. On the contrary, the new HBO production is already blowing the second film in the series out of the sewer, as 2019’s It: Chapter Two holds an even lower 62% critics’ approval rating and didn’t land the highly sought-after Certified Fresh marking. There’s still plenty of time for It: Welcome to Derry to fully hit or fully miss, considering that audiences won’t be able to add their scores for the project until it unmasks itself over the weekend — so keep your eyes peeled for changes.
What Critics Are Saying About ‘It: Welcome to Derry’
As mentioned, critics have been sharing mixed emotions when it comes to the exploration into the other chapters of King’s gargantuan novel. Here at Collider, Emma Kiely gave the series six out of ten stars, criticizing the show’s inability to roll with the scares as well as the movies that came before it. In her review, Kiely writes,
“In Welcome to Derry, with so many different characters, that dread that should be pulsing through the narrative feels fragmented and neutered. The series never proves gripping enough to fill you with the desire to keep watching. With the narrative jumping between so many different perspectives — only the first five episodes were provided for review — the show doesn’t successfully bring all its disparate narratives together to form one cohesive, terrifying path.”
Give It: Welcome to Derry a chance for yourself when the series celebrates its long-awaited premiere on October 26.
- Release Date
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October 26, 2025
- Network
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HBO
