Watch Stephen King's It in release order: the miniseries It (1990), then the films It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019), and the prequel series It: Welcome to Derry (2025), set in 1962. The two films are one story; the 1990 miniseries is a separate adaptation. Dreamcatcher (2003) is also set in Derry but has nothing to do with Pennywise.
- Titles
- 5
- Films
- 3
- Series
- 2
- Watch time
- 19 hours
- Box office
- $1.27 billion
- Avg IMDb
- 6.8
Stephen King's It movies in release order
Here is every Stephen King's It title in the order it came out, 1990 to 2025: 3 films and 2 series.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | It | 1990 | Series | 3h 7m | 6.8 |
| 2 | Dreamcatcher | 2003 | Film | 2h 14m | 5.6 |
| 3 | It | 2017 | Film | 2h 15m | 7.3 |
| 4 | It Chapter Two | 2019 | Film | 2h 49m | 6.5 |
| 5 | It: Welcome to Derry | 2025 | Series | 8h 6m | 7.9 |
Stephen King's It timeline: movies in chronological order
The same titles in story order, by when they take place, with the year or era each one is set in.
| # | Title | Set in | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | It: Welcome to Derry | 1962 | 2025 |
| 2 | It | 1960 and 1990, the miniseries | 1990 |
| 3 | It | 1989 | 2017 |
| 4 | It Chapter Two | 2016 | 2019 |
| 5 | Dreamcatcher | Old friends from Derry | 2003 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
Release order and story order disagree on 3 titles here. In release order you start with It (1990); in story order you start with It: Welcome to Derry, set in 1962, which came out 35 years later.
First time through, watch in release order. That is how the twists, returning characters and callbacks were built to land, and later entries assume you have seen the earlier ones. On a rewatch, try story order. It turns Stephen King's It into one continuous story and makes the prequels play as setup instead of backstory.
Where to start
Start with It and go in release order.
The whole thing is 19 hours. At two hours a night that is about 10 evenings.
The three highest rated: It: Welcome to Derry (7.9), It (7.3), and It (6.8).
Every Stephen King's It movie, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 1990 · Series · 3h 7m · 2nd in story order
It
In 1960, seven outcast kids known as "The Losers' Club" fight against an ancient shape-shifting alien who poses as a child-killing clown, while also dealing with bullies and abusive parents. Thirty years later, they reunite to stop the creature once and for all when it returns to their hometown.
Why it matters: The two-part miniseries: seven friends fight Pennywise in 1960 and again as adults.
- Starring
- Tim Curry, Harry Anderson, and Dennis Christopher
- Creator
- Stephen King
- Scores
- IMDb 6.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 70%
- Episodes
- 2
No. 02 · 2003 · Film · 2h 14m · 5th in story order
Dreamcatcher
Four childhood friends reunite for a hunting trip in the Maine woods, bound by a psychic force born from a childhood friend's dreamcatcher. They find themselves caught in a grotesque alien invasion that twists memory, sanity and reality into something far more sinister.
Why it matters: Four telepathic friends from Derry are caught up in an alien invasion on a hunting trip.
- Starring
- Thomas Jane, Damian Lewis, and Morgan Freeman
- Director
- Lawrence Kasdan
- Box office
- $81 million on a $68 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 27%
No. 03 · 2017 · Film · 2h 15m
It
In a small town in Maine, seven children known as The Losers Club come face to face with life problems, bullies and a monster that takes the shape of a clown called Pennywise.
Why it matters: The Losers Club fight Pennywise as kids in 1989; the first half of the remake.
- Starring
- Jaeden Martell, Jeremy Ray Taylor, and Sophia Lillis
- Director
- Andy Muschietti
- Box office
- $720 million on a $35 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.3 · Rotten Tomatoes 85%
No. 04 · 2019 · Film · 2h 49m
It Chapter Two
27 years after overcoming the malevolent supernatural entity Pennywise, the former members of the Losers' Club, who have grown up and moved away from Derry, are brought back together by a devastating phone call.
Why it matters: The Losers return to Derry as adults in 2016 to finish Pennywise for good.
- Starring
- Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, and Bill Hader
- Director
- Andy Muschietti
- Box office
- $473 million on a $79 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 62%
No. 05 · 2025 · Series · 8h 6m · 1st in story order
It: Welcome to Derry
In 1962, amid a spate of unexplained disappearances of local children, a group of misfit friends begin to suspect a long-buried ancient evil lurking. As the kids set out to determine what's really going on, a rising unease prompts several townspeople to work together to restore peace – all while a U.S. military operation seeks to exploit Derry for its own objectives.
Why it matters: HBO prequel to the It films set in 1962, as a family arrives in Derry and a boy vanishes.
- Starring
- Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, and James Remar
- Creator
- Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs
- Scores
- IMDb 7.9
- Episodes
- 8 across 2 seasons
Stephen King's It box office and budgets
The 3 Stephen King's It films with reported numbers have grossed $1.27 billion worldwide on about $182 million in combined budgets, roughly 7.0 times what they cost. The biggest is It at $720 million, 56% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by It Chapter Two ($473 million) and Dreamcatcher ($81 million).
Measured against what it cost, the best return belongs to It, which made 21 times its $35 million budget. The weakest was Dreamcatcher at 1.2 times its $68 million budget. As a rule of thumb, a film needs about two and a half times its budget at the box office to cover marketing and the theaters' cut.
The best and worst rated Stephen King's It movies
Across 5 rated titles, Stephen King's It averages 6.8 on IMDb. The top of the list is It: Welcome to Derry at 7.9, then It (7.3) and It (6.8). At the bottom: Dreamcatcher (5.6) and It Chapter Two (6.5).
- It: Welcome to Derry7.9
- It7.3 · RT 85%
- It6.8 · RT 70%
- It Chapter Two6.5 · RT 62%
- Dreamcatcher5.6 · RT 27%
Who appears in the most Stephen King's It movies
Jaeden Martell leads with 2 appearances as Bill Denbrough and Young Bill Denbrough, ahead of Finn Wolfhard (2) and Jack Dylan Grazer (2). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jaeden Martell | Bill Denbrough / Young Bill Denbrough | 2 | It (2017) to It Chapter Two (2019) |
| Finn Wolfhard | Richie Tozier / Young Richie Tozier | 2 | It (2017) to It Chapter Two (2019) |
| Jack Dylan Grazer | Eddie Kaspbrak / Young Eddie Kaspbrak | 2 | It (2017) to It Chapter Two (2019) |
| Wyatt Oleff | Stanley Uris / Young Stanley Uris | 2 | It (2017) to It Chapter Two (2019) |
| Bill Skarsgård | Pennywise | 2 | It (2017) to It Chapter Two (2019) |
Stephen King's It directors and creators
5 filmmakers have directed or created Stephen King's It; Andy Muschietti has the most, with 3.
- Andy MuschiettiIt (2017), It Chapter Two (2019), and It: Welcome to Derry (2025)
- Stephen KingIt (1990)
- Lawrence KasdanDreamcatcher (2003)
- Barbara MuschiettiIt: Welcome to Derry (2025)
- Jason FuchsIt: Welcome to Derry (2025)
How long it takes to watch every Stephen King's It movie
All 5 titles add up to 19 hours: 7 hours of film and 11 hours of series, counting every episode. That is about 10 two-hour evenings, or 2 days of ten-hour binges. The longest film is It Chapter Two at 2h 49m.
The 3 best rated films: It, It Chapter Two, and Dreamcatcher.
Everything takes about 3 weeks.
Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Common questions
What order should I watch the Stephen King's It movies in?
Watch Stephen King's It in release order: the miniseries It (1990), then the films It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019), and the prequel series It: Welcome to Derry (2025), set in 1962. The two films are one story; the 1990 miniseries is a separate adaptation. Dreamcatcher (2003) is also set in Derry but has nothing to do with Pennywise.
How many Stephen King's It movies and shows are there?
There are 5 titles in the Stephen King's It franchise: 3 films and 2 series, released from 1990 to 2025.
How long does it take to watch all the Stephen King's It movies?
About 19 hours for all 5 titles, counting every episode.
What is the first Stephen King's It title in chronological order?
It: Welcome to Derry, set in 1962. In release order the first is It (1990).
What is the best Stephen King's It movie?
By IMDb score, It: Welcome to Derry (2025) at 7.9, followed by It at 7.3.
What is the highest-grossing Stephen King's It movie?
It (2017), with $720 million worldwide. Stephen King's It films have made $1.27 billion in total.
Who has appeared in the most Stephen King's It movies?
Jaeden Martell, in 2 of them as Bill Denbrough.
What is the longest Stephen King's It movie?
It Chapter Two, at 2h 49m.
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