The story of how a man named Bob Gray became the monster known as Pennywise will be central to the next chapter of HBO’s hit horror series. Episode 7, titled “The Black Spot,” arrives on HBO and Max this Sunday, December 7 at 9:00 p.m. EST. A newly released trailer promises to show the human beginnings of the series’ main villain, setting the stage for a major confrontation as the first season approaches its conclusion.
The New Teaser Focuses on Pennywise’s Human Past
The trailer for the upcoming episode is brief but packed with important clues. It shows new scenes of a man named Bob Gray, who is revealed to be the human form later copied by the ancient entity known as IT. In one key moment, Gray is introduced to a carnival audience as “the dancing clown”. The trailer cuts between shots of a troubled Dick Hallorann, an angry gathering of people, and different versions of the clown, both young and old.
This focus marks a shift for the series. IT: Welcome to Derry has been careful about how much it shows Pennywise. The clown did not appear clearly until viewers saw a shadowy glimpse and a picture at the end of Episode 3. Even then, the show spent more time on the general evil in Derry’s history. It was not until Episode 5 that audiences got a proper look at Bill Skarsgård back in his famous role. The Episode 7 trailer suggests the story is now making up for that slow build by dedicating significant time to explaining where Pennywise came from.
What to Expect in “The Black Spot”
The episode’s title, “The Black Spot,” refers to a location in Derry that has become a shelter for Hank Grogan and a group of children. The previous episode ended with a dangerous cliffhanger: a furious white mob was closing in on The Black Spot. Official information about the episode confirms that a vicious vigilante attack will happen there. This attack is expected to unleash dormant forces in the town.
The plot will also continue exploring the growing powers of Dick Hallorann, played by Chris Chalk. Hallorann is a character from Stephen King’s The Shining who has the psychic ability called “the shine”. His expanded role in this series creates a deeper connection to the wider Stephen King universe. The trailer heavily features his character, suggesting his visions and abilities will be crucial as the threat at The Black Spot grows.
Another major reveal from Episode 6 that will drive the story forward is the true identity of Ingrid Kersh, played by Madeleine Stowe. The episode showed that she is not just a nurse at Juniper Hill but is actually the daughter of Bob Gray, the human Pennywise. This makes her a significant figure in the Pennywise mythology and a key to understanding the evil in Derry.
Release Schedule and How to Watch
IT: Welcome to Derry has an eight-episode first season. With six episodes already aired, only two episodes remain. The season finale, Episode 8, is scheduled for Sunday, December 14.
New episodes premiere every Sunday night at 9:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific Time on the HBO cable channel and stream simultaneously on Max. The series is exclusive to HBO and Max, so a subscription is required to watch.
For international audiences, the show premieres at the same time in the United Kingdom on Sky Atlantic and is available afterward on the NowTV streaming service. Global release times for Sunday, December 7 include:
- 2:00 a.m. GMT on December 8
- 7:30 a.m. IST on December 8
- 1:00 p.m. AET on December 8
Episode runtimes have varied, but episodes are typically between 54 and 66 minutes long. Some previews suggest Episode 7 could have an extended runtime, with one report mentioning a 105-minute version with extra content available for streaming.
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The Story So Far and the Upcoming Finale
The series is set in 1962, which is 27 years before the events of the original IT story. It follows the Hanlon family—parents Leroy and Charlotte, and their son Will—who move to Derry just as a local boy named Matty disappears. The town is already caught in a cycle of strange hatred and violence that seems to repeat every 27 years.
The show’s creators, Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs, also worked on the 2017 and 2019 IT films. They have reportedly envisioned a three-season story for the series that would move backward in time using the 27-year cycle. If the show continues, a potential second season would be set in 1935, and a third would go back to 1908.
With the penultimate episode focusing on a violent attack and the origin of Pennywise, the stage is set for a major showdown in the season finale on December 14.
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