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It: Welcome to Derry Episode 8: Release Date, Time, and the Road to Pennywise’s Awakening
The It: Welcome to Derry finale, titled “Winter Fire,” drops on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on HBO and HBO Max. For night owls across the world, that means an early morning binge before spoilers hit X and Reddit. Here’s the quick breakdown:
| Region | Time | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific Time (US) | 6:00 PM | Dec 14 |
| Eastern Time (US) | 9:00 PM | Dec 14 |
| UK (GMT+1) | 2:00 AM | Dec 15 |
| Central Europe | 3:00 AM | Dec 15 |
| India | 6:30 AM | Dec 15 |
| Australia (AEST) | 12:00 PM | Dec 15 |
| New Zealand | 1:00 PM | Dec 15 |
If you’re in India like me, that means Monday morning coffee with Pennywise — not the most comforting way to start the week, but somehow fitting.
The episode also airs on Sky Max and NOW TV in the UK with a repeat on Monday, December 15, at 9 p.m. for those who value their sleep over jump scares.
With only one episode left in this haunting prequel, all eyes are on how the show ties together its 1960s storylines, and whether we’ll see one last sinister grin from Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise before the credits roll.
Will there be It: Welcome to Derry Season 2?
Not officially, at least, not yet. HBO hasn’t made the announcement, but the creators have already teased a three-season arc. They’ve said each season will rewind further into Derry’s cursed past, with Season 2 rumored to explore 1935.
That makes sense, really. The finale’s title, “Winter Fire,” hints that we’re about to see events connect back to earlier cycles of Pennywise’s terror, maybe even the reason Derry is so thoroughly doomed. Fans are expecting the final episode to plant the seeds for that backward journey.
Honestly, given how strong the fan reaction has been online (and the weekly cliffhangers that launch a thousand YouTube theories), it’s hard to imagine HBO letting this one rot in the sewers. Ratings plus legacy IP equals renewal, simple Derry math.
If it does come back, we might finally get more of that Bob Gray era teased in Episode 7’s cold open. A brief glimpse of a young man performing in 1908 before being lured into the woods by something was pure nightmare fuel, and a clear clue that the Black Spot fire was just one layer of this cursed onion.
What happened in Episode 7?
Episode 7, “The Black Spot,” set the stage for a devastating finale, and honestly, it was one of the series’ finest hours so far.
The story centered on the racist mob attack and arson at the Black Spot bar, one of Derry’s darkest historical events, pulled straight from Stephen King’s lore. What started as a tense standoff escalated into a full-blown inferno, and the aftermath was brutal.
The most heartbreaking moment? When Rich (Arian S. Cartaya) sacrifices himself to save Marge (Matilda Lawler), he tricks her into hiding inside an old Coke fridge and seals it from the outside.
It’s the kind of raw, messy heroism that reminds you that Welcome to Derry isn’t just about clowns, it’s about the people trying to survive long before the Losers’ Club was even born.
Meanwhile, Dick Hallorann continued his strange, luminous connection with the supernatural side of Derry. His discovery of the Native American artifact, one of the “pillars” that keeps Pennywise dormant, felt both fascinating and ominous.
Of course, the military decides to melt it down, because what could possibly go wrong with tampering with ancient evil? Right on cue, our clown wakes early from hibernation.
The episode ends on pure horror: Pennywise attacking young Will Hanlon in his home, fog creeping outside, screams echoing. It’s the kind of cliffhanger that makes you instinctively check your windows after turning off the lights.
What to expect from “Winter Fire.”
So where does that leave us? Episode 8 promises chaos. The promos show Derry shrouded in mist as Pennywise tears through the town. It’s the first real taste of him unleashed, which is fitting since he’s been sparingly used all season, lurking in the background like a bad dream you can’t quite shake.
Given what we’ve seen, expect the finale to:
- Reveal how Pennywise’s hunger links to the destroyed artifact.
- Force Ingrid and Hank into a moral confrontation (their arcs have been building toward this).
- Possibly show the true birth of Pennywise as Derry’s immortal curse.
And if the Muschiettis are serious about going backward in time next season, we might get our first breadcrumb leading to 1935, when Derry’s next great tragedy unfolds.
If nothing else, the finale will probably leave us with that uneasy feeling IT stories always do, satisfied for now, but haunted by what’s still hiding under the surface.
Disclaimer: This article contains speculative details based on publicly available information, fan theories, and narrative analysis. Release dates, schedules, and renewal plans are subject to change by HBO. Any predictions about future episodes or seasons are not confirmed unless officially announced by the network or creators. This content is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only.
