How IT: Welcome To Derry’s Co-Creators Feel About Comparisons Between The Stephen King Series And Ryan Coogler’s Sinners

Here’s a logline: In mid-20th century America, a group of Black people create a safe space – a juke joint – to escape the stress and racism of their community. However, their efforts are sabotaged by the supernatural actions of the local Klan. Does that sound like the plot of Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, or the new HBO series IT: Welcome To Derry?

They confirmed both things are true, and it’s just a coincidence that I was thinking about it recently while interviewing the creators of the new Stephen King series. I asked Andy and Barbara Muschietti (who created IT: Welcome to Derry with Jason Fuchs) about the similarities I noticed, and Andy agreed it was coincidental – but pointed out that the plot point actually comes directly from Stephen King’s original book. The director then added,

I was so surprised to hear about ‘Sinners’ – what a fantastic movie! Honestly, I don’t think it impacts our story at all; they’re really quite different. ‘The Black Spot’ has always been a core part of the original book, and since we’re committed to including all those interludes in our series, it felt essential to incorporate that chapter into the larger narrative. But truly, I loved ‘Sinners’ – I thought it was absolutely phenomenal.

In Stephen King’s IT, the story of the Black Spot is told to young Mike Hanlon by his father while he’s dying. The elder Hanlon remembers being stationed in Derry while serving in the army, and he and a group of fellow Black soldiers fixed up an old shed to use as a clubhouse. While Ryan Coogler’s telling of the story in Sinners has some differences, the connections are clear.

After my brother said his piece, I chimed in too – I was actually one of the first to buy a ticket when the 2025 crime/horror movie came out earlier this year, and I couldn’t stop telling everyone how great it was! But honestly, it didn’t really hit me how similar it was to IT: Welcome To Derry until someone else pointed it out – then everything clicked!

I saw the movie as soon as it came out and immediately texted Ryan, telling him how incredibly original it was. I raved about it to everyone! Then, about a month later, someone pointed out that it was similar to something in another show, which completely surprised me – I hadn’t made that connection at all. Despite that, it’s a fantastic movie, and I’m really excited for the next one!

The mystery of The Black Spot is central to the first season of IT: Welcome To Derry, but the show offers much more than just that single storyline – and horror fans will soon be able to experience it all. After a long wait, fans can revisit the terrifying town of Derry, Maine this Sunday, October 26th, when the series premieres on HBO and streams on HBO Max. The show is already generating a lot of excitement, and having watched the first five episodes, I can assure you it’s fantastic. Keep checking TopMob for more from my interviews with the show’s creators and cast.

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2025-10-23 02:38