The original prequel series It: Welcome to Derry has achieved a significant milestone for HBO. The show’s strong performance has secured a place for the network in the Nielsen streaming top ten rankings. This marks the first time HBO has entered this competitive list since the finale of its massive hit, The Last of Us, aired earlier this year.
The series, which expands the terrifying story of Pennywise the Clown, began streaming on HBO’s platforms. While specific viewership numbers for Welcome to Derry have not been made public, its Nielsen ranking confirms a successful launch that has captured audience attention. Nielsen’s streaming charts track the total minutes viewers spend watching a show, and breaking into the top ten requires beating out hundreds of other titles from every major streaming service.
THE SHOW’S CONNECTION TO STEPHEN KING’S IT MOVIES
It: Welcome to Derry serves as a direct prequel to the two popular Stephen King films, It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019). The series is set in the 1960s, decades before the events of the movies, and explores the early horrors lurking beneath the town of Derry, Maine. The show shares and expands on the lore established in the films, promising to show viewers new sides of the sinister entity known as Pennywise.
Fans of the movies will recognize several iconic locations. The series was filmed primarily in Port Hope, Ontario, which has consistently stood in for the fictional town of Derry. Key spots from the films reappear, including the Capitol Theatre and the alley next to the Quality Meats store. The production also utilized other Canadian locations like Hamilton and Brampton to create the show’s distinctive and eerie atmosphere.
HOW THE RANKING COMPARES TO OTHER HBO HITS
HBO’s re-entry into the Nielsen Top 10 is a notable event, highlighting the show’s instant appeal. The last HBO series to accomplish this was The Last of Us, which set high benchmarks for the network.
The Last of Us Season 1 finale drew 8.2 million viewers for its initial same-day airing, which was a series record at the time. More importantly, HBO reported that the first season’s episodes were averaging a massive 30.4 million viewers per episode across all platforms. This kind of broad, sustained popularity is what leads to a high Nielsen streaming ranking. For Welcome to Derry to follow in those footsteps indicates a powerful start.
WHERE TO WATCH THE ORIGINAL IT MOVIES
The success of Welcome to Derry has sparked renewed interest in the original films that started the franchise. For viewers looking to revisit the story of the Losers Club, both It and It Chapter Two are available to stream.
The sequel, It Chapter Two, is currently available for subscribers on HBO Max. The film can also be rented or purchased on other major digital platforms including Amazon Video, Apple TV, and Fandango At Home. The movie features a star-studded adult cast including Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, and Bill Hader, with Bill Skarsgård returning as the terrifying Pennywise.
The series was filmed in the same charming Canadian towns that portrayed Derry in the movies, creating a seamless visual link to the world fans already know.
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THE SIGNIFICANCE OF NIELSEN STREAMING RATINGS
In today’s entertainment landscape, making it into the Nielsen Top 10 is a clear sign of a show’s popularity. Nielsen is one of the few independent companies that measures viewership across multiple streaming services, providing a rare point of comparison. Their data shows not just how many people started a show, but how much total time audiences are dedicating to it.
As noted in industry reports, it has become increasingly difficult for any single show to dominate viewer attention due to the vast amount of available content. When a series like Welcome to Derry breaks through, it demonstrates a strong connection with the audience. For HBO, this ranking is a positive signal that their expansion of Stephen King’s iconic horror universe has resonated with both longtime fans and new viewers.
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