IT: Welcome to Derry premiered on Sunday, October 26, 2025, and since then, it looks like the prequel series has a high viewership record. The movie reportedly drew in 5.7 million viewers by October 30, 2025. The horror prequel to the 2017 film franchise is set in 1962, and follows Pennywise's exploits in Derry 27 years before his eventual confrontation with The Losers in 1989, which results in the clown's defeat.Given the high viewership numbers, we may get the complete story of this popular Stephen King novel, which was published in 1986. It seems the plan is to go 27 years back in time. Thus, if season 1 is taking place in 1962, the probable IT: Welcome to Derry Seasons 2 and 3 will be set in 1935 and 1908, respectively.IT: Welcome to Derry drew in 5.7 million viewers by October 30, 2025 View this post on Instagram Instagram PostThe Hollywood Reporter published a report on October 30, 2025, revealing that Welcome to Derry managed to become HBO's third-largest series debut. The first episode of the prequel horror show was viewed by 5.7 million across different platforms, including TV and HBO Max. However, ahead of Welcome to Derry are The Last of Us Season 1 and House of the Dragon, Season 1."Set in the world of Stephen King’s 'IT' universe, IT: WELCOME TO DERRY is based on King’s 'IT' novel and expands the vision established by filmmaker Andy Muschietti in the feature films 'IT' and 'IT Chapter Two.'"These high numbers would probably mean that we are getting seasons 2 and 3A scene in the 2017 IT hints at a decades-old history between IT and Derry. A scene in the 2017 movie set in 1989 has a scene in which massacres in 1962 and 1908 are hinted at. Therefore, the first season of Welcome to Derry set in 1962, will lead to the burning of The Black Spot. For the uninitiated in the IT lore, The Black Spot is a bar serving African-American soldiers.In 1962, a bunch of racists burned down the bar, an event we will see in the current season of IT: Welcome to Derry. In the book, The Shining's Dick Hallorann saved a lot of people from the burning bar using his "Shining" powers. But Hallorann also feels Pennywise's presence there, which is why he left Derry before going on to become the head chef of The Overlook Hotel.If HBO greenlights Welcome to Derry for the next two seasons, then we will also get to see the events of the Bradley Gang Shootout in 1935 and the Derry Iron Works explosion in 1908. Barbara and Andy Muschietti even hinted at this in the Variety interview last Sunday:“Our big story arc involves three seasons, mainly based on the three critical cycles of Pennywise, which are 1962, 1935 and 1908.”However, as 2019's IT: Chapter Two reveals, the extraterrestrial Pennywise crashed into the area that would grow on to become the Derry Well House centuries before devouring Bill Denbrough's young brother Georgie. The IT book explains that the town of Derry grew after Pennywise's infestation. This is why the entire town of Derry is destroyed after the adult Losers finally kill Pennywise.Thus, if the makers stick closer to the book, fans may finally get Pennywise's entire backstory.The IT: Welcome to Derry premiere is currently streaming on HBO Max. Catch it before the second episode airs on Friday, October 31, 2025, at 12:00 AM PT/03:00 AM ET, to celebrate Haloween.