The IT universe is about to dive deeper than ever before. The new series promises to uncover the chilling truth behind the ancient evil that eventually became Pennywise the Dancing Clown — a mystery long hinted at but never fully revealed. What dark origins lie beneath Derry’s cursed history, and how did this primordial terror take the form that haunts generations? Here’s the terrifying journey the series is finally ready to expose.
The nightmare is only just beginning. HBO’s upcoming original series IT: Welcome to Derry is shaping up to be far more ambitious — and far more terrifying — than fans first imagined. New reports suggest the show is being developed as a three-season deep dive into the cursed history of Derry, with each season exploring a different era marked by tragedy, violence, and supernatural terror.
And at the center of it all?
The ancient, malevolent force that would one day become Pennywise the Dancing Clown.
If true, this approach would make Welcome to Derry one of the most expansive explorations of Stephen King’s mythos ever brought to screen — but it all hinges on one thing: the success of Season 1.
A Century of Horror Mapped Across Three Seasons
Rather than retreading the familiar events of the Losers Club, Welcome to Derry appears ready to break new ground by resurrecting some of the most infamous and unsettling chapters in the town’s documented history — events referenced briefly in King’s novel but never fully explored onscreen.
The rumored seasonal structure looks like this:
📖 Season 1 (1962) — The Black Spot Burning
The story begins with one of Derry’s darkest tragedies. The Black Spot, a local nightclub built by Black servicemen stationed near the town, was burned to the ground in a violent act of hatred. While the attack is historically rooted in racism, King’s lore hints at something far worse influencing the mob’s brutality.
Welcome to Derry may finally reveal the supernatural forces lurking behind the flames — and the unseen presence feeding off the hatred.
🔫 Season 2 (1935) — The Bradley Gang Massacre
Decades earlier, Derry witnessed a shocking daylight massacre when the Bradley Gang — a group of Depression-era outlaws — were slaughtered by the townspeople themselves. The event is described in the novel as disturbingly unified and unnervingly cheerful, as if the entire town fell under a single murderous spell.
This season could explore how Pennywise manipulates entire communities, pushing them toward violence while hiding just out of sight.
🔥 Season 3 (1908) — The Kitchener Ironworks Explosion
Going back even further, the third season may tackle the catastrophic Ironworks explosion that killed 102 people, most of them children. While officially deemed an accident, King’s lore strongly suggests Pennywise was responsible.
This season would plunge viewers into the earliest documented manifestations of the creature — a primordial evil already awakening beneath Derry long before anyone recognized its presence.
A Deeper Dive Into Pennywise Than Ever Before
While the films showcased Pennywise’s terror, the series aims to dissect what he truly is. The phrase “ancient evil” takes center stage, hinting that the show will explore not only Derry’s violent history but also the creature’s cosmic, interdimensional origins.
For decades, fans have debated Pennywise’s true nature — from his connection to the Macroverse to the elusive Deadlights. Welcome to Derry now has the opportunity to bring that mythology to life in ways the films never attempted, blending historical horror with cosmic dread.
Each season appears designed to peel back a new layer of mystery, revealing:
How Pennywise arrived in Derry
How he feeds
How he manipulates fear and hatred
Why the town itself seems complicit in its own suffering
This is not merely an origin story — it’s an excavation of evil.
But There’s a Catch: Season 1 Must Succeed
As ambitious as the plan is, HBO will only move forward if the first season performs strongly. Prestige horror is expensive, and building three fully realized historical eras requires major investment. Audience reception, viewership numbers, and cultural impact will determine whether Seasons 2 and 3 get the green light.
Early buzz, however, suggests Welcome to Derry may have the momentum needed. Pennywise remains one of the most iconic horror figures in modern pop culture, and interest in expanding the IT universe is at an all-time high.
If the first season delivers — narratively, visually, and emotionally — HBO could be looking at its next major franchise.
A Terrifying Journey Into Derry’s Past
With three horrifying eras mapped out, Welcome to Derry is poised to offer fans a sweeping, century-long saga of fear, tragedy, and cosmic evil. Each season promises to stand alone while contributing to a much larger portrait of the force that would one day wear a clown’s face.
The deeper the show goes into the town’s past, the closer it gets to revealing the origin of one of horror’s most enduring nightmares.
If Pennywise “stays with you forever,” as the Warner Bros. water tower now warns — this series may show us exactly why.
