The first season of HBO’s scary series, IT: Welcome to Derry, is coming to an end. The last episode of this popular Stephen King prequel arrives this week. This finale will try to finish the story of what happened in Derry, Maine in 1962 before the Losers Club ever came to town. We have gathered all the details about when you can watch the finale, what you need to remember from the last episode, and who is in the large cast.
Final Episode Release Date and Global Streaming Times
The first season of IT: Welcome to Derry will end with its eighth episode, titled “Winter Fire.” This last chapter will premiere on Sunday, December 14, 2025.
The episode will be available at the same time on the HBO cable channel and for streaming on HBO Max (often called just Max) in the United States. New episodes have come out every Sunday night during the season, and this pattern continues for the finale. The show starts at 9:00 PM Eastern Time (ET) and 6:00 PM Pacific Time (PT).
For viewers around the world, the episode will be available at the same moment, but that means different local times. Here is when “Winter Fire” will be available in several regions:
| Region | Local Release Time | Date |
|---|---|---|
| United States (ET) | 9:00 PM | Sunday, Dec 14 |
| United States (PT) | 6:00 PM | Sunday, Dec 14 |
| United Kingdom | 2:00 AM | Monday, Dec 15 |
| Central Europe | 3:00 AM | Monday, Dec 15 |
| India | 7:30 AM | Monday, Dec 15 |
| Australia (East) | 12:00 PM | Monday, Dec 15 |
In the United Kingdom, the series is available on Sky Atlantic and the NOW streaming service. Like earlier episodes, “Winter Fire” is expected to be about one hour long.
What Happened in Episode 7 “The Black Spot”
The story before the finale was very intense and set the stage for a big ending. Episode 7, named “The Black Spot,” showed one of the darkest events from Stephen King’s book.
The main event was a fire at a club called the Black Spot. A racist group, led by Police Chief Clint Bowers, attacked the club to find Hank Grogan. They locked the doors and set the building on fire, trapping many people inside, including children. This led to a very sad moment where a boy named Rich sacrificed himself to save his friend Marge by lying to her about having space in an old fridge.
At the same time, Dick Hallorann helped the military find a mysterious object buried at a Native American site. This object was one of several sacred pillars that had been helping to keep the evil force in Derry contained. The military, under General Francis Shaw, wanted to use this power as a weapon.
The episode also gave viewers a look at the past. It showed a flashback to 1908, revealing the original Pennywise the Dancing Clown, a man named Bob Gray. This kind performer was lured into the woods and taken over by the creature, which then used his friendly appearance to attract children.
At the end of the episode, after feeding on the fear from the fire, the creature Pennywise went to sleep. However, when the military began to melt the sacred pillar they found, the energy woke Pennywise up immediately. The final scene was a cliffhanger, with a newly awakened Pennywise attacking young Will Hanlon in his home.
What to Expect in the Season 1 Finale “Winter Fire”
The promo for Episode 8 shows a town in serious trouble. With the ancient pillar destroyed and Pennywise awake and angry, Derry is not safe. The creature’s main target appears to be Will Hanlon, who was shown at the end of the last episode frozen in fear by Pennywise’s “Deadlights”.
The promo hints that the fight will involve all the main kids. Ronnie Grogan is heard saying, “IT has taken Will”.
The big questions for the finale are: Can Will be saved? What is General Shaw’s real plan with the creature’s power? Will the surviving kids and adults find a way to fight back? Since this is a prequel to the “IT” movies, viewers know Pennywise will not be destroyed for good. The season will likely end by setting up future stories in Derry’s dark history.
Main Cast and Characters for the Finale
The series has a large cast, mixing new characters with some familiar names from Stephen King’s world. Bill Skarsgård returns to play the terrifying Pennywise, a role he made famous in the two recent “IT” movies. He also plays the human Bob Gray from 1908.
The story centers on the Hanlon family, who are new to Derry. They are played by Taylour Paige as Charlotte, Jovan Adepo as Major Leroy Hanlon, and Blake Cameron James as their son, Will. Will is an important character because he grows up to be the father of Mike Hanlon, a key member of the Losers Club in the original story.
The group of kids investigating the town’s mysteries includes:
- Matilda Lawler as Marge Truman
- Amanda Christine as Ronnie Grogan
- Clara Stack as Lilly Bainbridge
- Arian S. Cartaya as Rich Santos
- Mikkal Karim-Fidler as Teddy Uris
- Jack Molloy Legault as Phil Malkin
Other major players in the story are Chris Chalk as Dick Hallorann, the psychic cook from The Shining who is now a young soldier; James Remar as the determined General Francis Shaw; Madeleine Stowe as Ingrid Kersh, a woman with a dangerous connection to Pennywise; and Stephen Rider as Hank Grogan, Ronnie’s father.
About the Series and Future Seasons
IT: Welcome to Derry is a prequel to Stephen King’s famous novel and the two movies from 2017 and 2019. It shows the evil events in Derry during 1962, focusing on a generation of kids and adults who faced Pennywise long before the Losers Club.
While HBO has not officially said there will be a second season, the show’s creators, Andy and Barbara Muschietti, have talked about a plan for a three-season story. Director Andy Muschietti explained that if the story continues, Season 2 would go back in time to 1935, and Season 3 would explore an even earlier period. This means the season one finale might give a hint about where the story could go next.
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