Stephen King gave a first opinion on HBO This: Welcome to Derrywhich allows the globality HE franchise to take a new step.
Based on one of Stephen King’s most popular books, the HE the films grossed a combined box office of over $1 billion worldwide. Although the second IT film was relatively more controversial in terms of critical reception, both films easily rank among the most successful adaptations of Stephen King’s work.
Due to their success, it’s no surprise that their story is now being expanded with a television show. Serving as a prequel to the films, HBO’s This: Welcome to Derry will be available to stream on October 26, 2025. Although only time will tell if the series will be able to repeat the success of the films, Stephen King’s first review marks a promising start for the series.
Stephen King’s praise for Derry welcome makes up for his more mixed response to IT’s latest TV show
The first television adaptation of the Stephen King film HE was released in 1990. The series starred Tim Curry as Pennywise and unfolded its story in two parts. Although the series is still considered one of the best Stephen King adaptations on the small screen, it has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 68%, suggesting a more mixed response from critics.
As the post above reveals, Stephen King praised This: Welcome to Derry calling him “amazing“and alluding to how it is”the first episode is terrifying.However, when it came to the 1990 miniseries, Stephen King also had a mixed reaction. In a 2015 interview (via Yahoo), he said that the series really surprised him and that it was even very ambitious.
King then addressed the 1990 series’ influence on an entire generation (via THIS) recalling how “children aged 8 to 14 were afraid of Tim Curry.“He even compared it to the first IT film, emphasizing how much it brought to audiences.”a chance to revisit this special experience from their childhood.“
Although the series surprised King with what it achieved with its miniseries format, the author had some reservations about its creative liberties. Even if the author never explicitly denounced the adaptation. He specifically had a problem with the show’s lack of focus on adult characters and the way it depicted Richie Tozier with significantly reduced depth.
The author felt that Richie from the series only had two dimensions to him: he was either “a bastard” Or “a sort of kind-hearted Buddy Hackett.” (via Fangoria Issue 99)
Stephen King’s Praise Is a Milestone for Andy Muschietti’s 3 IT Adaptations
The first HE The film received positive reception from viewers and critics when it premiered in 2017. Even to this day, the film holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 85%. For this reason, it’s no surprise that Stephen King also loved the film and said that although he already had high hopes for it, he was “”not prepared for how good it really was.” (via popular culture.)
Although the second film received a relatively more mixed reception, King maintained his stance on Andy Muschietti’s vision of his novel by calling both films “”amusing” And “scary” (via Vanity Fair). After the two films, This: Welcome to Derry has now become Andy Muschietti’s third adaptation of Stephen King’s novel HE to get the author’s seal of approval.
This proves that while Andy Muschietti’s big and small screen interpretations of Stephen King’s famous book haven’t been perfect, they rank well above most adaptations of the author’s work. Stephen Kingthe examination of This: Welcome to Derry doesn’t guarantee its success, but it does ensure that it captures the essence and terrors of the source material.
