MOVIE NEWS – 2017’s It reignited the horror genre, but its follow-up, It Chapter Two, failed to capture that same spark. Now, with the prequel series It: Welcome to Derry set to arrive in October 2025, fans are hoping the new show will learn from its predecessor’s mistakes. If it can recapture the original’s childlike wonder, suspense, and humor, it might finally erase the disappointment of the second chapter.
When It hit theaters in 2017, it became a cultural phenomenon. “You’ll float too” became a viral catchphrase, and dancing clowns were everywhere. Audiences praised the film for being scary, funny, and deeply emotional. It reinvented horror dramas and left a legacy still felt today — plus, it was a massive box-office success. The same cannot be said for It Chapter Two. The sequel was messy: though not a flop, it failed to match the original’s hype, received mixed reviews, and left little cultural impact. As the IP remains lucrative, HBO Max is now planning a new prequel series, It: Welcome to Derry, for October 2025. With luck, it will feel more like the first film than its disappointing follow-up.
It Chapter Two: A Promising Sequel That Fell Apart
It Chapter Two had all the potential, which makes its mediocrity sting even more. Set 27 years after the original, the “Losers Club” is now grown up and has mostly moved on from its battle with Pennywise. The child actors were replaced by a star-studded adult cast, including James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Isaiah Mustafa, and Bill Hader, building enormous anticipation. A mature take on the story with great actors and terrifying scares sounded like a dream come true — but it wasn’t.
The nearly three-hour runtime discouraged audiences, and those who did see it often left frustrated. Despite King’s rich source material, the script was bloated and unfocused, making it hard to care about the characters. Even worse, the film’s humor fell flat, trading the first film’s quotable jokes for cheap gags. And when it came to scares, the overreliance on CGI made the monsters look cartoonish, more like rejects from the early 2000s Scooby-Doo movies than actual horrors.
It: Welcome to Derry Arrives on HBO Max
Ultimately, It Chapter Two overextended itself. Riding the first film’s success, too much money was poured into spectacle instead of focusing on the core strengths: chemistry and simple, effective scares. The upcoming prequel, It: Welcome to Derry, could fix that. As a period-set prequel, it has a chance to bring back the nostalgic, childlike tone that made the original special. The same creative team returns, promising continuity — and hopefully, they’ll avoid the narrative and visual missteps of Chapter Two.
One thing’s certain: Bill Skarsgård returns as Pennywise, which bodes well for the show. If it delivers heart, humor, and real scares, it could wipe away the bad taste of the second film (and please, no giant Paul Bunyan nightmares). Both It and It Chapter Two are streaming on HBO Max, and It: Welcome to Derry premieres on October 26, 2025.
Source: MovieWeb
