The IT: Welcome To Derry Trailer Sends Pennywise The Clown To The 1960s

It's been six years since The Losers Club finally ended Pennywise in "IT: Chapter Two" (which perhaps ended in a worse way than the book) and now HBO Max is sending us back before they even encountered the child-killing clown with the prequel series "IT – Welcome to Derry," which has just released a brand new trailer. Surprising to absolutely no one who is even vaguely familiar with Stephen King's monstrous creation that was brought to life by Bill Skarsgård in the 2017 and 2019 films, the latest preview promises a blood-chilling venture back to the cursed town that unknowingly harbors this ancient terror. There are bodies, there are balloons, and the button-nosed nightmare himself has made an appearance as well, with the brilliant Bill Skarsgård reprising the role.

Beginning in 1962, 26 years before Andy Muschietti's story takes place, "IT – Welcome to Derry" will see another era of unfortunate souls caught in Pennywise's grip and the horrors that befall them as a result. What's worth noting is that this particular point in time has already been highlighted by the Loser's legendary librarian, Mike Hanlon (played in "Part One" by Chosen Jacobs and then Isaiah Mustafa in "Part Two") during his investigation into the creature's history. It's yet another dark chapter of Derry's past that the clown applied his evil and venomous influence to, which had folks young and old fighting to keep at bay. 

As revealed by Mike in both the book and the films, the horrifying events that have plagued the town of Derry happen every 26 years whenever IT awakens to feast. In the case of 1962, the event was the destruction of the nightclub called The Black Spot, which predominantly black soldiers frequented from an Army base close by. Tragically, the club was burned down by a racist group called the Maine Legion of White Decency, killing many of those trapped inside.

What's interesting about this particular event is that in the book, one person who managed to escape the fire was Will Hanlon, Mike's father. He didn't make it out alone, though, as Will was helped by none other than the young Dick Hallorann, who would go on to become the cook of the Overlook Hotel in "The Shining." Keeping such a crucial character in mind, it does make us wonder if we'll see this monumental event play out just as it did in the books, or if the show will answer any other questions we have about IT's origins. You'll be able to see for yourself when we head back to Derry later this year.