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I'm plugging along in my reading of It by Stephen King. I've made it to page 686, which means I have only 466 pages left to go. In most books, that would be an entire novel. In It, it feels like I'm finally approaching the home stretch.
At times, I admit I've struggled with just how many side roads King takes along the way. Derry is a town full of stories, and he seems determined to tell every single one of them. Yet despite those detours, I'm completely immersed in this dark, fascinating world. Derry feels less like a setting and more like a living thing: a small town with a long memory and a terrible secret lurking beneath the surface.
As I get closer to the end, I find myself eager to see how all of these storylines, memories, and nightmares finally come together.
But reading the novel wasn't enough.
Like any curious traveler, I decided to venture even deeper into Derry by revisiting the film adaptations and starting the new Welcome to Derry series. I've enjoyed this little side journey so much that I thought I'd share a guide for anyone else who might be considering a trip to one of Stephen King's most infamous destinations.
What are the movies?
- “It” - 1990 – This almost 3-hour movie is a bit of a classic. Tim Curry plays Pennywise the Dancing Clown, and he is creeeeppyyyy. He really only had about 20 minutes of screentime throughout the movie, but supposedly, his performance scared the cast so much that everyone avoided him on set. I know he scared me as a child, and clowns and I have not been friends since!
- “It”/”It: Chapter Two” - 2017 and 2019 – This two-part movie set took the storyline to the next level with Bill Skarsgard’s Pennywise performance. Yikes! He is even creepier, if such a thing is possible. Apparently, he spent three hours a day in the makeup chair for the role. He was also reportedly kept away from the child actors at first, until their first scene together. So, their fear reactions were more genuine than you might think. The timeline is a bit different in this one as well. The characters are children in the 1980s and adults in the 2010s – rather than the 1950s and 1980s.
- “It: Welcome to Derry” - 2025 – This is a series that is essentially a prequel to the 2017/2019 movies and features some of the main character’s parents (as children) as core characters.
Are they worth watching?
Yes – especially if you like the book. Obviously, film adaptations are always slightly different from books, and these are no exceptions. Some things, especially the more controversial parts, are left out. Some storylines are altered with some serious poetic licenses. But the core of the movies/show is in line with the book, making them worth watching.
How can they be watched?
You can use the link below to buy them (and related merchandise and other fun It-themed goodies) or you can watch them all on HBO Max (as of October 2026 anyway).
How should they be watched?
That depends on you! If you would prefer a more “chronological” order, I would say:
- It – 1990 (since it was made first and is a standalone)
- Welcome to Derry series – It takes place in the 1960s and is the prequel to the other two movies.
- It – 2017
- It: Chapter Two – 2019
If you prefer to watch them according to how much I liked them:
- It – 1990
- It – 2017
- It: Chapter Two – 2019
- It: Welcome to Derry
If you're enjoying the book, I absolutely recommend taking a side trip into Derry's on-screen adaptations. No version is a perfect recreation of King's novel, but each captures something essential about the story, its characters, and the unsettling atmosphere that makes Derry such a memorable place.
Whether you choose Tim Curry's unforgettable Pennywise, Bill Skarsgård's nightmare-inducing interpretation, or the newer stories explored in Welcome to Derry, there's plenty to discover beyond the pages.
So if you decide to visit Derry for yourself, I wish you a safe journey.
Just don't follow any paper boats into the storm drain.
And as always, travel with a curious mind. 🎈
Click the link below to buy It films and It-themed goodies.
(paid link)