Dec 18, 2025 5 min read

Where to Watch It: Welcome to Derry in UAE (OSN+ Pennywise Prequel Guide)

Find out where to watch It: Welcome to Derry in the UAE with our OSN+ horror guide, covering episodes, Pennywise prequel story and how it links to the It movies.

If you want a proper horror series for night-time viewing in the UAE, It: Welcome to Derry is now live on OSN+. This prequel to Stephen King’s It goes back to 1962 in Derry, Maine, tracing the early terror linked to Pennywise the Clown and the town’s long history of missing children. The show is produced for HBO, with Bill Skarsgård back as Pennywise, and the full first season is already available to stream in the region.

Use this guide to see where to watch it in the UAE, how many episodes there are, what it’s about, and whether it fits your watchlist this week. For other picks, keep our What to Watch This Week UAE hub and New on OSN+ UAE hub open.

Where to Watch It: Welcome to Derry in the UAE

In the UAE (and wider MENA region), It: Welcome to Derry streams on OSN+ as part of OSN’s HBO deal.

Streaming platform: OSN+
Availability: Season 1 – complete
Video: Listed as HDR on OSN+
Genres: Thriller / Horror

Official OSN+ series page: It: Welcome to Derry on OSN+

OSN+ is region-locked to MENA, including the UAE, and is available on browsers, iOS/Android apps, Apple TV, Samsung and LG smart TVs and more.

If you are new to OSN+, you can check plans and sign up from:

Subscription page: OSN+ subscribe
OSN+ main site: osnplus.com

For more ideas around it, place this guide alongside our New on OSN+ UAE and What to Watch This Week UAE hubs.

Is It: Welcome to Derry on Netflix, Prime Video or Disney+ in the UAE?

No. It: Welcome to Derry is an HBO horror series, so in MENA it streams through OSN+, not Netflix or Disney+.

So for UAE viewers:

Not on Netflix
Not on Disney+
Not part of Amazon Prime Video’s base catalogue

If you see the series name in other apps (like Apple’s TV app), it will usually deep-link you back to OSN+ or HBO; you still need an OSN+ or Max-style subscription, depending on your region.

What Is It: Welcome to Derry About?

It: Welcome to Derry is a supernatural horror prequel to It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019). It is developed by Andy and Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs, the creative team behind the films, with Bill Skarsgård returning as Pennywise.

The story:

Takes place in 1962 in Derry, Maine.
Follows Charlotte and Leroy Hanlon and their son Will as they move into town just after a young boy disappears.
Bad things begin to happen—visions, disappearances, and strange events linked to the entity known as It (Pennywise).
Ties into the wider It mythology, including Derry’s earlier “cycles” of terror.

Key characters include:

Charlotte Hanlon (Taylour Paige) – who will not look away when things in Derry feel wrong.
Leroy Hanlon (Jovan Adepo) – a US Air Force major facing racism on base while trying to protect his family.
Will Hanlon (Blake Cameron James) – their son, a science-obsessed kid who struggles to fit in and becomes a key witness to Derry’s secrets.
A group of local kids, including Lilly Bainbridge, Ronnie Grogan and Marge Truman, who get drawn into the mystery.

Tone-wise, it mixes coming-of-age drama with some of the most graphic, surreal horror in the It universe so far—reviews highlight its gruesome imagery (including a “demonic, liver-eating baby”) and strong atmosphere.

How Many Seasons and Episodes Does It Have?

Right now:

Seasons: 1
Episodes: 8 in Season 1

Season 1 premiered on HBO in October 2025 and ran weekly until December, with the full run now available to binge both on Max (US) and on OSN+ in the UAE.

As of mid-December 2025, the show has not been officially renewed, but the creators have said they mapped out a three-season arc around Pennywise’s cycles of activity in 1962, 1935 and 1908.

How Scary and Graphic Is It: Welcome to Derry?

Even by modern TV horror standards, this is full-on:

Graphic violence and body horror (including the infamous mutant baby).
Frequent disturbing imagery, nightmares and hallucinations.
Themes of racism, grief, trauma and generational fear in a small town.

OSN+ doesn’t show the rating in the snippet, but expect it to sit in the 18+ / mature horror space. Treat it as adult viewing and put it behind parental controls in your OSN+ profile.

How Does It Link to the It Movies?

The series is canonically tied to the two Muschietti films:

It is set decades before the events of It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019).
Explores earlier cycles of Pennywise in Derry, hinted at in King’s novel and the films’ backstory.
Includes easter eggs and cameos that connect to the films and King’s wider world.

You do not have to rewatch the films first, but you will get extra payoff if the town, the sewers and Pennywise’s rules are already familiar.

Should You Watch It?

If you are building a horror watchlist in the UAE and browsing New on OSN+ UAE or our What to Watch This Week UAE hub, here’s a quick filter to decide if It: Welcome to Derry belongs on your list.

Watch it if…

You liked It (2017) and It Chapter Two and want a deeper dive into Derry’s history and Pennywise’s origins.
You enjoy slow-burn, episodic horror that builds dread over hours, not quick jump-scare movies.
You want a horror series that mixes scares with themes like racism, Cold War paranoia and small-town secrets.
You already have OSN+ for other HBO titles (like The Last of Us or House of the Dragon) and want a strong horror addition.
You like visually bold horror with strange creatures and surreal set-pieces rather than purely psychological chills.

Skip it if…

You dislike graphic horror, gore or disturbing body horror – the show pushes that quite far.
You prefer lighter supernatural shows or teen horror where the tone is softer.
You have not seen the It films and are not interested in King’s universe in general.
You want something you can half-watch while doing other things – this leans on mood, detail and slow dread.

You are in the mood for comfort viewing instead; in that case, you might be better off with picks from our New on Netflix UAE or New on Disney+ UAE hubs.

Quick FAQ: It: Welcome to Derry in the UAE

Is It: Welcome to Derry free to watch in the UAE?

No. You need an OSN+ subscription. Some UAE telcos (like du and Etisalat) offer OSN+ billing bundles, but it’s still a paid service.

Can I download episodes to watch offline?

Yes. OSN+ supports offline downloads on its mobile apps for eligible plans, so you can watch on the go once you have saved episodes.

Does it have Arabic subtitles on OSN+?

OSN+ provides Arabic localisation across most of its big HBO shows, and the Arabic series page for It: Welcome to Derry confirms local support.

Do I need to read the book or watch the films first?

No, but it helps. The series is designed as a prequel you can follow on its own. Knowing the films gives extra context and makes some easter eggs and hints more fun.