IT: Welcome to Derry stands out as one of the best and most surprising TV shows of 2025. Based on Stephen King's novel IT, Andy Muschietti's HBO Max series could have been just a cash grab built on past successes, but it quickly revealed that it is much more than that. The series dives deep into the mythology of Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård), adding new and unexpected layers to a familiar character.

Although HBO has not yet renewed IT: Welcome to Derry for a second season, the future of the series is beginning to take shape. New additions to the writing team reportedly include two individuals who could significantly change the situation in Derry, Maine. These changes could lead to a major shift in the genre of the series.

One of the best aspects of Muschietti's IT films was Skarsgård's performance as the killer clown. However, the HBO Max series has shown great patience by keeping Pennywise mostly hidden until the last three episodes. When the clown finally appears, he emerges more violently than ever, making his presence feel even more significant. Up to this point, IT: Welcome to Derry builds anticipation by focusing on a new version of the Losers' Club.

In the first season, the entity appears in different forms while the story delves deeper into its background and powers. A flashback narrated by Rose (Kimberly Guerrero) reveals that the entity is an alien that fell to Earth. The residents of Derry manage to craft a dagger made from the star it came from to fight it. At the end of the first season, when the U.S. military deliberately releases the terror-inducing entity to control the civilian population, the children battle Pennywise with the dagger.

Although the second season has not yet been confirmed, we can speculate about the future of the series based on some hints. While the first season takes place in 1962, the second and third seasons are likely to go back to 1935 and 1908, respectively, with 27-year gaps; during these times, Pennywise had previously created bloody chaos in Derry. Skarsgård is expected to return alongside new characters that Pennywise will terrorize. Additionally, it has been reported that some new writers, including Jessica Mecklenburg, who served as a writer and producer on Stranger Things, have joined the team.