The massive success ofStranger Thingson Netflix has been followed by more shows emulating the hit sci-fi series’ tone and approach, as well asa search for which teen-centric horror show will take its place after the finale. When the show arrived, it found a lightning-in-a-bottle balance of horror, sci-fi, action, mystery, comedy, and nostalgia for past decades with young teens at the center. After debuting as a huge new hit for Netflix in 2016,Stranger Thingsis finally coming to an end with season 5, which is expected to debut on the streaming service later in 2025.
Stranger Things’ formula has been seen more commonly in the time since its premiere, and has found success in some new horror and sci-fi adaptations of stories that originally inspired the Netflix series.One often-cited influence onStranger Thingshas been the work of horror master Stephen King, whose stories likeFirestarter,Carrie,IT, andThe Bodylent inspiration to the teens’ dark experiences and dynamics. Those influences are ironically coming full circle now, as HBO’s upcomingTV adaptation of Stephen King’sITnovellooks like it’s taking a page fromStranger Things’ book.
IT: Welcome To Derry Feels Like A Much More Horror-Centric Stranger Things-Style Show
Stranger Things Is Already Partially Influenced By Stephen King’s Original IT Book
After the release ofIT: Welcome to Derry’s trailer, the upcoming HBO horror show hasa remarkable resemblance to the style and tone ofStranger Things. Of course,Stranger Thingsitself has already drawn parallels to King’sITnovel, so there’s a bit of a chicken-or-the-egg dilemma there forWelcome to Derry’s series comparisons, which itself is a prequel to the 2017 and 2019ITmovies. Regardless,IT: Welcome to Derry’s story, characters, and tone seem to be setting up a great new teen-centered horror show in the same vein asStranger Things.
LikeStranger Things,IT: Welcome to Derryappeals to a nostalgic horror approach, though with season 1 being set in the 1960s rather than the 1980s. Rather than battling Demogorgons, Mind Flayers, and Vecna,IT: Welcome to Derry’s teen characters will be going up against the various forms ofBill Skarsgård’s nightmare-inducing villain Pennywise the Clown. However, while Hawkins, Indiana has become home to some terrifying evils in connection to the Upside Down, that fictional location doesn’t hold a candle to the horrors and darkness that plague Derry, Maine.
IT: Welcome to Derryis still on a more intense level of scares and terror.
WhileStranger Thingsseason 4 leaned into more horroraspects than the show’s previous outings,IT: Welcome to Derryis still on a more intense level of scares and terror.IT: Welcome to Derrywon’t feature as much action, sci-fi, or comedy asStranger Things, and instead will bemore comparable to the Henry Creel-based horror elements of season 4. Also similar toStranger Thingsseason 4, there will be some shocking disappearances and deaths of children around the small town, with a group of teens taking the lead on their own investigation as they bike around the streets.
The IT Franchise Already Has A Big Stranger Things Connection
Finn Wolfhard Has Starred In Both
IT: Welcome to Derry’s connections toStranger Thingsdon’t just top at the aesthetic, premise, and Stephen King inspirations – the franchises also share a notable cast member. Finn Wolfhard, who has portrayed Mike Wheeler inStranger Things’ castfor all five seasons, also starred inIT(2017) andIT: Chapter Two(2019) as Richie Tozier.ITwas Wolfhard’s very first feature film role, having debuted in theaters just a little over a month beforeStranger Thingsseason 2 returned on Netflix.
It&It: Chapter Two
Richie Tozier
TheITmovies’ success was doubtlessly aided by the popularity ofStranger Things, and the overlapping cast member certainly didn’t hurt the Stephen King movies’ appeal. SinceWelcome to Derryseason 1 is set 27 years before the firstITmovie’s timeline,Wolfhard’s Richie won’t show up in the prequel series, nor will the other members of the Losers Club. However,Welcome to Derrydoes share a link to Loser Club member Mike Hanlon, as the series is based on the novel’s interludes he wrote during his investigation into Derry’s dark history.
IT: Welcome To Derry’s 3-Season Plan Means It Should Continue Long After Stranger Things Ends
IT: Welcome To Derry Could Have A Long Life On HBO
WhileIT: Welcome to Derryis confirmed to debut on HBO in fall 2025, the series has yet to receive an official release date. That’s also the case forStranger Thingsseason 5, which Netflix teased would arrive in 2025, but has yet to be given a more specific release window for this year. As such,it’s possible thatIT: Welcome to Derryseason 1 andStranger Thingsseason 5 will release within close succession of one another, especially with the former dropping new episodes weekly rather than all at once.
However,IT: Welcome to Derryis expected to stick around long afterStranger Things’ impending series finale. When revealingWelcome to Derry’s future plans, show creator Andy Muschietti explained thatthe show intends to have a three-season arc, exploring Derry’s history in backwards chronological order. SincePennywise’s attacks occur every 27 years, the plan is for season 1 to focus on the catastrophic event in 1962, season 2 to unfold in 1935, and season 3 to take place in 1908.
IfIT: Welcome to Derryearns two more seasons, thenthe show will be able to carry on for several more yearsas a great replacement in the TV landscape forStranger Things. Once the latter ends,Wednesdayseems to be the proper teen horror show successor on Netflix, thoughIT: Welcome to Derryhas a much more similar tone and premise to the Duffer Brothers’ series.
Stranger Things
Cast
Stranger Things is a Netflix series set in the 1980s, where the mysterious disappearance of a young boy leads a small town to uncover secret experiments and supernatural forces. A significant focus is on a peculiar girl who may hold the key to the unfolding mystery.
It: Welcome to Derry
IT: Welcome to Derry serves as a prequel to the IT films, exploring the origins of Pennywise the Clown. Set in the 1960s, this installment dives into the backdrop of Derry, unveiling the dark history and circumstances surrounding the infamous creature.
