The new horror series IT: Welcome to Derry is finally here, taking viewers back to the cursed town of Derry in 1962. The premiere episode is packed with hidden details and clever nods to Stephen King’s vast universe, connecting the story to his other famous books and the wider mythology of Pennywise. For fans watching closely, the show offers a treasure hunt of references that make the world of Derry feel much larger and more interconnected.
The Hanlon Family Legacy and a Shining Cameo
A major connection established early in the series is the introduction of Major Leroy Hanlon. He is the grandfather of Mike Hanlon, the historian of the Losers’ Club from the original IT films. The show explores how the Hanlon family first came to settle in Derry, setting the stage for their future role in the town’s dark history.
In a surprising crossover, the series also introduces a young Dick Hallorann. Fans will recognize him as the kind-hearted chef with psychic abilities from The Shining. In Welcome to Derry, he is stationed at the same air force base as Leroy Hanlon. His presence suggests that his “shine” will make him uniquely aware of the supernatural evil lurking beneath Derry.
Creepy Classroom Connections
The show carefully plants the seeds for future horrors through background details, particularly in the local school. On a bathroom stall door, the name Alvin Marsh is seen scribbled inside a heart. This is a direct reference to the future abusive father of Beverly Marsh, a central member of the Losers’ Club. It’s a small but chilling detail showing that the human monsters of Derry were growing up alongside the supernatural one.
Another student, Teddy, is tormented by bullies who write “Teddy Urine” on his locker. The nickname and the fact that Teddy comes from a Jewish family strongly suggest he is related to Stanley Uris, another future Loser. The unflattering nickname “Urine” was also used to bully Stan in King’s original novel.
Frightening Nods to Other King Stories
The series pays homage to several other Stephen King tales beyond IT. The gruesome death of a character’s father at the local pickle factory, where he is crushed by machinery, is a clear reference to King’s terrifying short story “The Mangler”, which features a possessed industrial machine.
In another scene, a character is horrified to see a human finger poking out of her bathtub drain. This is a direct nod to King’s bizarre and unsettling short story “The Moving Finger” from his Nightmares & Dreamscapes collection.
The show also references Juniper Hill, the infamous psychiatric hospital that appears in many of King’s stories. A character in the series reveals she was committed there, and fans will remember it as the institution where the deranged bully Henry Bowers is locked away.
The Cosmic Turtle and Pennywise’s Enemy
Throughout the episode, symbols of turtles appear repeatedly. The school’s mascot is Bert the Turtle, from a real 1950s civil defense film. In a more personal moment, a character gives a turtle charm to a friend for good luck.
These are not random details. For Stephen King fans, they signal the presence of Maturin, a benevolent, cosmic turtle and a guardian of the universe from King’s Dark Tower series. In the mythology of IT, Maturin is the ancient, cosmic enemy of Pennywise. These turtle references hint that a larger battle between good and evil is playing out in the background of Derry’s horrors.
Hints of Derry’s Future Landmarks
The show builds out the town of Derry by showing the origins of its famous landmarks. In one scene, a newspaper headline announces that the town council is moving forward with building the Paul Bunyan statue. This is the same statue that a shapeshifting Pennywise later brings to life to terrorize Richie Tozier in IT: Chapter Two.
The premiere also features the Capitol Theater, where key scenes take place. In a real-world connection, the actual Capitol Theatre in Burlington, Iowa, closed its doors in 1977, and the last film it ever showed was an adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie.
A Fitting Musical Omen
The episode begins at the local cinema, which is showing the 1962 musical The Music Man. As the main character, Harold Hill, sings on screen, he delivers a line that serves as a dark prophecy for Derry: “Our children’s children are gonna have trouble.” This perfectly foreshadows the 27-year cycle of violence that will eventually require the Losers’ Club to face Pennywise.
Also Read: It: Welcome to Derry Sets Up a Trilogy of Terror with Shocking Premiere
