Steel yourself, because Pennywise has broken his 27-year cycle to give us a surprise bout of horror this Halloween! HBO Max has dropped a surprise special episode of its Stephen King series IT: Welcome to Derry, which is available to watch right now on the streaming service.
Diehard horror fans may have been immersing themselves in the grim and gruesome all month long, but it's not too late for something new before the bell tolls to mark the end of spooky season. The 30-minute episode special, titled A Story of Derry, is a perfect way to revisit one of the most terrifying television shows of 2026. If you've been enjoying all the Stephen King love we've gotten this year, between HBO's IT prequel series and Prime Video's Carrie, it's a perfect choice for your Halloween watch list.
What is IT: Welcome to Derry's new special A Story of Derry about?
Directed by Tazbah Chavez, A Story of Derry is set long before the main events of It: Welcome to Derry, returning viewers to the setting of the vision sequence experienced by Dick Halloran (Chris Chalk) in episode 4, which showed how the Native Americans indigenous to the region first fought against IT, which they called the Kollu. This standalone story fills in the blanks left by that tale.
Here's the official log line for A Story of Derry:
"Hundreds of years before Pennywise, three youngsters venture into the Western Wood...where they encounter a terrifying ancient spirit."
As a standalone short film, A Story of Derry tells a complete encounter with the ancient evil which has long plagued the area which will one day become the town of Derry. The flashback sequence of the main show was one of the highlights of the entire series to date, so returning to it for this special was an inspired choice.
It also serves as a perfect excuse to highlight its exceptoinal cast, which includes multiple actors from other notable series. The main trio of teenagers is led by Kiawentiio, who plays Katara in Netflix's live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender adaptation. Her character's mother, Sesqui, is portrayed by Morningstar Angeline, who played Odina in the final season of HBO's Westworld.
The special also brings in another Westworld veteran: Zahn McClarnon, who's best known these days as the star of AMC's George R.R. Martin-produced Navajo detective drama Dark Winds. To say too much about McClarnon's role would be getting into spoilers, but suffice to say that anytime he shows up in anything, you know it's going to be good.
How to watch It: Welcome to Derry's new special on HBO Max
A Story of Derry is available to watch now on HBO Max, but at least based on my own experience, it may not show up immediately on the streamer's home page, or even under the suggested shows for Welcome to Derry. This new shadow drop feels like a secret in the best way, inviting you to search for its dark delights.
If you're having trouble finding it, the search function on HBO Max should bring up A Story of Derry. It is available both in a standard audio version, as well as an ASL version. Enjoy taking one last trip to Derry this year to ring in Halloween!
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