Stephen King’s It Chapter Two Is an HBO Max Streaming Hit 6 Years Later

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A Stephen King film that didn’t initially resonate with audiences is now gaining popularity on streaming services six years after its release. Released in 2019 as a follow-up to the 2017 hit It, Chapter Two earned $473 million globally but wasn’t as well-received. However, it’s currently attracting a lot of viewers on HBO Max during the holiday season.

According to FlixPatrol, It Chapter Two is currently the third most popular movie on HBO Max. Only One Battle After Another and The Polar Express are being streamed more. Interestingly, the first It movie is also doing well, landing at number 10. This renewed interest in the films is likely due to the new series, IT: Welcome to Derry.

It Chapter Two Is Not the Most Well-Received Stephen King Project

Reviews for It Chapter Two are much more divided than those for the first It movie. The 2017 film was highly praised, but the 2019 sequel received a less enthusiastic response from both critics and viewers. Currently, It Chapter Two has a 62% rating from critics and a 78% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The movie consistently received positive reviews from both critics and audiences, earning it a ‘Certified Fresh’ rating. While reviewers praised the cast and how closely It Chapter Two followed the book, it didn’t perform as well overall compared to the first It film.

It Chapter Two Finds Streaming Success Thanks to IT: Welcome to Derry

The new TV series, IT: Welcome to Derry, is bringing renewed attention to the first two It movies on HBO Max. The show features Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, Chris Chalk, James Remar, Stephen Rider, Clara Stack, Amanda Christine, and Mikkal Karim-Fidler, and Bill Skarsgård returns as the terrifying Pennywise.

The team behind the successful It films – Andy and Barbara Muschietti – also created IT: Welcome to Derry, with Jason Fuchs. While it doesn’t have a ‘Certified Fresh’ rating, the show currently holds an 80% approval rating from critics and an 81% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

This series introduces the story leading up to the movies It and It Chapter Two, beginning with the vanishing of a boy as a new family arrives in Derry, Maine. It depicts Pennywise frightening a fresh group of children before turning his attention to the future members of the Losers Club. Now that the first season has aired, viewers are eagerly anticipating news about Season 2.

I was following the news from CCXP, and Barbara and Andy Muschietti dropped some interesting hints about a potential second season of their show. They didn’t confirm anything officially, but Barbara did mention that HBO has really high standards for greenlighting continuations, so it’s not a simple yes or no. It sounds like they’re definitely considering it, but HBO needs to be convinced it’s worth it.

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Everyone involved understands the challenge, but we’re all very interested in making it happen. Stephen King is on board, and I believe HBO is as well. However, we haven’t figured out if it’s actually possible yet.

It, It Chapter Two, and IT: Welcome to Derry are all streaming on HBO Max.

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2025-12-24 21:36