Welcome to Derry’ Releases Creepy Opening Credits, Early Ep. 2 Drop

It: Welcome to Derry just added a chilling new element to the show — a haunting and memorable opening credits sequence. Set to the cheerful ’50s song “A Smile and A Ribbon” by Patience and Prudence, the animated introduction slides through images of seemingly blissful life in Maine with hidden dangers that become progressively more concerning.

The first picture reveals a family sitting on the grass and having a picnic together, before pulling back to reveal a little girl crouching down next to her bicycle and peering into a dark storm drain that leads into the sewers. Although this quickly brings Pennywise the Clown and “we all float down here” to mind, nothing immediately threatening is happening.

“A smile is something special, a ribbon is something rare, so I’ll be special and I’ll be rare with a smile and a ribbon in my hair. The bigger my toothy grin is, the smaller my troubles grow. The louder I say I’m happy, the more I believe it’s so.” – ‘A Smile and a Ribbon’ by Patience and Prudence

As the credits continue, what appears to be happy, run-of-the-mill moments of small-town life are interspersed with tentacled creatures holding candy, lobotomy procedures, dark entities watching from afar with eyes aglow, and hints at nuclear war.

Watch below to see Welcome to Derry‘s opening credits sequence.

‘It: Welcome to Derry’ Brings Touristy Vibe to Opening Credits

While discussing the inspiration behind the unsettling opening sequence, the show’s co-creator Andy Muschietti explained that the Welcome to Derry title “felt touristic” and he wanted to bring that same energy to the credits, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“The world of postcards and facade, which has a lot to do with what Derry is — a place that’s seemingly wholesome, but there’s something dreadful under the surface … It reflects our desire to show the big catastrophic events, all leading to the explosion at the Ironworks.”

Aaron Becker — a director at Filmograph, the company that created the spooky opening — noted that their use of “A Smile and A Ribbon” was also a key component that helped bring everything all together.

“The song itself is so jarring. It mirrors the characters’ arc as children coming of age, trying to convince themselves that their biggest fears aren’t real.”

Welcome to Derry premiered on HBO Max on Sunday, Oct. 26. The highly-anticipated follow-up episode was released early on Friday, Oct. 31, just in time for Halloween. The show, which serves as a prequel series to Stephen King’s classic horror novel IT, is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 78% score from film and television critics and an 80% from the general audience. While it received some criticism for the pacing and use of CGI, it was praised for its genuinely terrifying moments and impressive production design. ​​​​​​​Matt Roush of TV Insider teased Welcome to Derry would be the “it” show of the season for horror fans who “can’t get enough of this sort of gleefully gory monster mash.”