A new look at the seventh episode of IT: Welcome to Derry has arrived, titled “The Black Spot.” This penultimate episode of the first season is scheduled to release on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at 9:00 p.m. ET on HBO and the Max streaming service. The episode is set to dive deep into a major event from Stephen King’s lore and show the terrifying beginnings of Pennywise the Dancing Clown.
Episode 7 Release Details and Global Schedule
The seventh episode continues the show’s weekly release pattern. The first season has a total of eight episodes, with the finale set for December 14. New episodes are available on both the HBO cable channel and for streaming on Max at the same time every Sunday night.
For viewers outside the United States, the episode becomes available at corresponding local times. Here is when it releases in major regions:
| Region | Time Zone | Local Release Time & Date |
|---|---|---|
| United States (West Coast) | Pacific Time (PT) | 6:00 PM, December 7 |
| United States (East Coast) | Eastern Time (ET) | 9:00 PM, December 7 |
| United Kingdom | Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) | 2:00 AM, December 8 |
| Central Europe | Central European Time (CET) | 3:00 AM, December 8 |
| India | India Standard Time (IST) | 7:30 AM, December 8 |
| Australia (East Coast) | Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) | 1:00 PM, December 8 |
To watch, you need a subscription to Max. Plans start at $9.99 per month for a version with advertisements, or $16.99 per month for an ad-free experience.
What “The Black Spot” Means for Derry
The title of Episode 7, “The Black Spot,” refers directly to a tragic and infamous event in Derry’s history from Stephen King’s original novel. In the story, the Black Spot was a social club for Black soldiers that was burned down by a racist mob in a deadly attack. Pennywise is said to have been present, feeding on the immense fear and hatred.
The previous episode ended with a major cliffhanger setting this very event into motion. A character named Hank Grogan, along with several children, had taken shelter inside the Black Spot building. Outside, an angry mob led by the corrupt Police Chief Clint Bowers was gathering, creating a moment of extreme tension. Episode 7 will show this horrific massacre unfold.
Beyond this historical horror, the episode will also explore the personal story of Ingrid Kersh, played by Madeleine Stowe. The show has revealed that she believes Pennywise, in his human form named Bob Gray, is her father. Flashbacks have shown her as a child, being groomed by this figure and later helping to lure children to him. A new preview for Episode 7 shows a key scene where the original Pennywise appears on stage, seemingly taking a younger clown under his wing.
“A first look at the penultimate episode shows the real Pennywise the Dancing Clown taking the stage,” notes a breakdown of the new preview. “Later, he seems to take a young clown under his protective wing”.
This suggests the episode will depict how the entity that becomes Pennywise learned to use the persona of a clown to attract and terrify children.
Major Character Arrows Point to a Climax
Several character stories are reaching a critical point as the season nears its end. Dick Hallorann, played by Chris Chalk, has been mentally shattered after a direct encounter with Pennywise in the sewers. His psychic abilities are now overwhelmed by terrifying visions, making him unstable. General Francis Shaw, played by James Remar, wants to use Hallorann’s broken mind as a weapon against the creature, but this plan is filled with risk.
Meanwhile, the group of kids at the center of the story is under threat from both supernatural and human evil. Lilly Bainbridge remains determined to fight, but her friend Ronnie Grogan is scared and refuses to go back into the sewers. With the mob attacking the Black Spot, their immediate survival is in grave danger.
The show’s main cast includes Jovan Adepo and Taylour Paige as Leroy and Charlotte Hanlon, and Bill Skarsgรฅrd who returns to play Pennywise. The series acts as a prequel to the 2017 It and 2019 It Chapter Two movies, exploring the cycle of fear in Derry in the year 1962.
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