Spoiler Alert: This article contains spoilers for It: Welcome to Derry Episode 1.
It: Welcome to Derry co-creator Barbara Muschietti has revealed a surprising creative connection between horror legend Stephen King and Game of Thrones author *George R. R. Martin. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Muschietti drew a comparison between the brutal opening episode of the new HBO series and Martin’s infamous “Red Wedding.”
“We love it. It’s our Red Wedding,” Muschietti said, referencing the shocking massacre that defined Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire saga and its HBO adaptation.
The series, a prequel to King’s It, premiered on October 23 on HBO and HBO Max, immediately shocking audiences with its graphic opening and unexpected character deaths.
Episode 1 Echoes Martin’s Infamous “Red Wedding”
The pilot episode of It: Welcome to Derry wastes no time establishing its horror tone. The story begins with young Matty (Miles Ekhardt) attempting to escape Derry, only to encounter Pennywise disguised as a friendly family. Four years later, his friends — Lilly (Clara Stack), Ronnie (Amanda Christine), Phil (Jack Molloy Legault), Teddy (Mikkal Karim-Fidler), and Susie (Matilda Legault) — set out to uncover what happened to him. By the end of the first episode, only Lilly and Ronnie survive.
Muschietti, who co-created the show with her brother Andy Muschietti and Jason Fuchs, explained that the shocking deaths were designed to set the tone early:
This is strategically a devastating event to set the audience into that sense of ‘nothing is safe in this world.’ We kind of tricked the audience into thinking that these are the new Losers. Well, guess what? I guess they’re all dead.
The move, she noted, mirrors both Stephen King’s merciless approach to character mortality and George R. R. Martin’s unpredictable storytelling, reinforcing that no one is safe in Derry.
How the Pilot’s Script Changed During Development
Interestingly, the bloody opening was not part of the show’s original plan. According to Muschietti and co-creator Jason Fuchs, the initial pilot script allowed all five children to survive. The decision to upend that expectation came later, during discussions in a “mini writer’s room” that included Brad Caleb Kane and the Muschietti siblings.
Fuchs recalled how the idea took shape:
It was a product of that mini room experience where we decided, ‘What if this happened?’
He added:
Andy theatrically stood up as I was pitching. I got to the part where all of them, other than Lilly and Ronnie, being eaten. Andy pulled the paper down, and there was a whole other group of kids [headshots] under there. I’ll never forget seeing their faces and feeling like, ‘If we can replicate their reaction in the room with audiences at home, we’ll have a really interesting, exciting, satisfying way to end episode 1.’
Barbara Muschietti said HBO fully supported the bold creative choice — even though the team expected network resistance. The creators also introduced a “mutant baby” version of Pennywise, a disturbing addition inspired by the radiation fears of the 1960s and the era’s social anxieties.
Episode 2 to Release Early for Halloween
To celebrate Halloween, HBO will release It: Welcome to Derry Episode 2 early on HBO Max, dropping Friday, October 31 at 12:00 a.m. PT / 3:00 a.m. ET. The episode will still air on HBO as originally scheduled on Sunday, November 2, at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.
| Network | Episode 2 Release Date | Episode 2 Release Time |
| HBO Max | Friday, October 31, 2025 | 12:00 a.m. PT / 3:00 a.m. ET |
| HBO | Sunday, November 2, 2025 | 9:00 p.m. ET/PT |
Following Episode 2, new episodes will return to their regular Sunday release schedule, leading up to the season finale on December 14.
The early release serves as a treat for fans eager to return to Derry’s haunting world after a shocking premiere that proved no character is untouchable.
What’s Next for It: Welcome to Derry
It: Welcome to Derry continues to expand Stephen King’s mythology while delivering the kind of horror that leaves viewers unsettled — a hallmark of both King’s and Martin’s storytelling legacies.
With its early success, creative risks, and shocking first episode, the series positions itself as one of HBO’s most daring horror offerings in recent years.
It: Welcome to Derry airs Sundays on HBO and streams on HBO Max in the U.S.
Source: Fandomwire