Ready to terrify yourself again with Pennywise the Clown? Here’s your first look: Welcome to Derry, a new spin-off TV show that delves into the mystery behind one of Stephen King’s most enduring horrors.

It: Welcome to Derry will explore the tragedy of the Black Spot, which in the novel It is revealed to be one of the first manifestations of the clown’s evil deeds. Here are the first images of the program, shared by Entertainment Weekly:

As in the novel, It: Welcome to Derry will see one of the young men of the ‘Losers Club’, Mike Hanlon, listen to the story of Black Spot as told by his dying father: a disaster in which a club that served to Derry’s black community was destroyed. burned down with customers trapped inside. When Mike realizes it, the same Pennywise the Clown who terrorizes his group of friends and community may well have also been responsible for inspiring the racist mob behind the deadly fire.

The series will see director Andy Muschietti and his producer sister Barbara, responsible for 2017’s It and 2019’s It: Chapter Two, reunite with creepy clown star Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise for the nine-episode prequel series. The Muschiettis serve as showrunners, with Andy Muschietti directing four of the nine episodes.

Also joining the cast are Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Madeleine Stowe and Rudy Mancuso. As with the recent films, the Muschiettis change It’s timeline by a few decades, so the novel’s Black Spot tragedy will take place in the early 1960s, rather than the 1930s as it does in the novels. Perfect for some nostalgic costume and soundtrack choices.

It: Welcome to Derry is coming to HBO and streaming platform Max in 2025. There’s no word yet on its UK headquarters, though history shows Sky will be first on any HBO outing. We’ll keep you posted on where it ends up.

Image Credits: Brooke Palmer/MAX