Shock greets 5.7M viewers as October 2025 premieres land on streamers. The timing matters because HBO moved the prequel into a Halloween window and the first episode amassed 5.7M U.S. viewers in its first three days, according to Warner Bros. Discovery and reporting by Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter. That figure makes IT: Welcome to Derry the third-biggest HBO Max series debut ever. This suggests HBO’s Stephen King strategy still pulls mass audiences – but can that translate into sustained weekly viewing and ad value? What will HBO do next?
What today’s 5.7M debut means for HBO Max and Sunday TV
- Warner Bros. Discovery reported the series drew 5.7M U.S. viewers in three days.
- The premiere ranks third in HBO Max history behind House of the Dragon and The Last of Us.
- Episode 2 will be available early on Oct. 31, widening the Halloween viewing window.
Why this 5.7M reveal rattles networks and streaming this week
HBO placed the prequel into a high-stakes Halloween slot and the early numbers landed hard. Networks count on big weekend titles to seed subscriptions and ad rates, and 5.7M in three days signals strong initial engagement. Short sentence for scan. For HBO Max, the success pressures rivals to counterprogram or accelerate event releases this fall. If you watch prestige streaming closely, this changes the competitive calendar for late 2025.
What Nielsen and industry charts show about the horror streaming boom
Nielsen and THR charts confirm the surge in horror and franchise content this season. The Hollywood Reporter’s charts list the 5.7M debut as a top streaming moment, while Nielsen’s weekly tallies show Halloween-adjacent titles climbing viewership. Short sentence for scanning. For fans and advertisers, that means genre tentpoles still move massive audiences in windows that matter.
Which 3 metrics show why 5.7M shifts the HBO Max playbook
Indicator Value Change/Impact Premiere audience 5.7M viewers Third-biggest HBO Max debut Early sequel release Oct. 31 (early) Halloween viewing window expanded Season run length Dec. 14, 2025 finale Longer engagement through holidays
The 5.7M debut forces networks to rethink Halloween scheduling.
How advertisers and schedulers will respond to this sudden viewership spike
Advertisers will press for premium inventory around new episodes now. Short sentence for scan. With Episode 2 landing early on Oct. 31, marketers targeting Halloween audiences gain a denser ad environment; linear partners and streaming rivals must decide whether to counterprogram or protect their own event nights. If you buy ads, expect negotiation pressure.
How will this 5.7M debut shape HBO’s fall and 2025 strategy?
HBO’s gamble with another Stephen King universe paid off in raw attention, delivering 5.7M viewers in three days and a top-three HBO Max debut. Short sentence. Expect HBO to lean into event scheduling, early-episode drops, and franchise extensions to lock viewers through December. Will that translate into sustained weekly retention and higher ad premium, or will viewership drop after the Halloween bump?
Sources
- https://deadline.com/2025/10/it-welcome-to-derry-premiere-ratings-hbo-1236603144/
- https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/h/charts/
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Jessica Morrison is a seasoned entertainment writer with over a decade of experience covering television, film, and pop culture. After earning a degree in journalism from New York University, she worked as a freelance writer for various entertainment magazines before joining red94.net. Her expertise lies in analyzing television series, from groundbreaking dramas to light-hearted comedies, and she often provides in-depth reviews and industry insights. Outside of writing, Jessica is an avid film buff and enjoys discovering new indie movies at local festivals.