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New IT prequel series IT: Welcome to Derry is not only breaking records within the killer clown franchise, but is fast becoming one of HBO's most successful shows.
The first episode of IT: Welcome to Derry, which premiered on October 26, managed to pull in 5.7 million US viewers in its first three days, according to Warner Bros. Discovery, combining views from both the network channel HBO and the streaming service HBO Max.
This puts the IT: Welcome to Derry series debut in HBO's top three in the history of HBO Max. House of the Dragon still stands in the top spot, having drawn over 10 million viewers in just one day, and The Last of Us sits in second place. It is important to note that the rankings only include shows released after the introduction of HBO Max, meaning older HBO shows such as Game of Thrones and The Sopranos do not qualify.
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Based on Stephen King's '80s horror novel IT, IT: Welcome to Derry takes place 27 years before Andy Muschietti's 2017 movie IT, which was in turn set 27 years before the filmmaker's sequel IT: Chapter 2. Led by Muschetti, the series visits Derry in the '60s, where the shape-shifting clown rears its ugly head to terrorize the residents of Derry.
The series launched to rave reviews and a 78% Rotten Tomatoes score – which puts it right in the middle of IT and IT: Chapter 2's respective scores. In our IT: Welcome to Derry review, we call the series "a supremely confident and well-realized step back into the history of Stephen King's cursed town and killer clown."
As a special treat for fans, the second episode of IT: Welcome to Derry hits HBO and its streaming service two days earlier, on Halloween. UK viewers will also be able to enjoy the episode early. For exact timings, check out our IT: Welcome to Derry release schedule.
I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.
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