Entertainment Desk | Indus Zone Media | October 30, 2025 | It: Welcome to Derry’ Episode 1
The world of Stephen King’s Derry is back — but not in the way fans expect. HBO Max’s much-anticipated prequel, It: Welcome to Derry, takes viewers to 1962, years before the terrifying events of It. The very first episode stunned audiences with an eerie twist and a monster that no one saw coming — a two-headed flying bat baby.
While fans were puzzled by the bizarre creature, the show’s co-creator Jason Fuchs has now revealed why this disturbing manifestation perfectly fits the story.
🎈 A Fresh Start for the ‘It’ Story
In an interview with Decider, Fuchs explained that the creators wanted to open the series in a way that felt both familiar and completely new.
“We wanted to start the show in a way that felt familiar and fresh. The book and movies start with Georgie’s abduction, so we thought it made sense to show another first encounter — but in a new form,” said Fuchs.
Instead of reusing the Pennywise formula, the show introduces Matty Clements, who experiences the first horrifying attack by It in 1962. The monster, unlike the clown we know, reflects the fears of that era — especially the Cold War paranoia about nuclear radiation and mutations.
“It’s 1962 — the height of Cold War fear. We wanted a creature that represented that anxiety. Nuclear fallout, mutation, and horror all combined to create the two-headed flying baby you see in the beginning,” he explained.
👁️ The Cold War Connection: Fear in a New Form
The creature’s design isn’t random. It symbolizes the dread of nuclear experimentation and mutation that dominated the American psyche in the early ‘60s. By choosing a monster so detached from Pennywise’s clown form, the creators made sure that viewers feel both confused and terrified — just as the characters do.
The series promises to explore how evil takes different shapes across generations, setting up a new mythology for It while staying true to Stephen King’s dark themes of fear, innocence, and trauma.
🎬 Reimagining the Classic ‘It’ Opening
Like the original It adaptations from 1990 and 2017, Welcome to Derry begins with a chilling introduction. But instead of Georgie Denbrough, this time it’s Matty Clements, who flees a movie theater before encountering the nightmare creature.
Interestingly, the movie Matty watches is “The Music Man” (1962) — and it plays a deeper role than expected. Fuchs shared that they initially considered creating an original song but decided to use a real film from that period to make the story feel authentic to the time.
“We wanted it grounded in the period. There’s already so much supernatural stuff happening, so we used something real and familiar,” Fuchs said.
The episode opens with the cheerful song “Ya Got Trouble” from The Music Man — which plays eerily over a dark, suspenseful scene, giving fans chills right from the start.
💀 Setting the Tone for a New Era of Horror
It: Welcome to Derry not only expands the Stephen King universe but also redefines how evil manifests in the fictional town. By focusing on fear shaped by the political and cultural anxieties of 1962, the show reminds viewers that It is not just a clown — it’s a reflection of humanity’s deepest fears.
Fans can expect the coming episodes to explore Derry’s hidden history, Pennywise’s origins, and the psychological horrors that define King’s most haunted town.
🔍 Key Takeaways
It: Welcome to Derry is an HBO Max prequel to Stephen King’s It series.
Episode 1 features a new monster — a two-headed flying bat baby.
Co-creator Jason Fuchs says the creature symbolizes Cold War-era fears of mutation and radiation.
The episode cleverly uses 1962’s “The Music Man” to set the tone for the story.
The series explores how fear and evil evolve through generations in Derry.
