Derry Review assesses IT Chapter Two, in which CGI fright tactics supplant the psychological terror that rendered Pennywise so haunting and memorable.
When IT: Welcome to Derry aired on HBO at the end of 2024, fans of the genre thought it was going to be a new version of Stephen King’s horrifying world. But in its opening episode, the series offered something else — a very familiar (and not in a good way) experience. The very thing that made IT (2017) a triumph is what turns the prequel’s opening moments into a warning: the misapplication of horror principles that plagued IT: Chapter Two. And if you’re wondering where things went haywire, strap in — because it’s a lesson the franchise should have gotten the first time around.
“Young Matty Clements” The Original Story begins on the night of a snowstorm, a boy called Matty Clements running from his abusive father with nothing else but hope, young Matty Clements. He is taken in by a seemingly warm family, and for a fleeting moment the audience experiences genuine relief for him. Then everything goes horribly wrong. A grotesque, computer generated, winged thing explodes out of the car in a welter of blood. It’s supposed to echo Georgie’s death in the original movie — a chilling first taste of Pennywise’s real form. But here is the problem: it couldn’t be more wrong.
Compare with Georgie’s’s iconic death in IT (2017). Director Andy Muschietti choreographed that scene with surgical precision. Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise was this chillingly intimate, yet threateningly expansive. The Georgie and clown talk gained genuine dread through conversation and psychology rather than spectacle. Every second seemed well-earned, every shock felt intimate. Pennywise took advantage of Georgie’s particular weakness — his faith in strangers, his wish to get back his boat. That’s efficient terror.”
That’s when it gets frustrating. IT: Chapter Two (2019) in particular was derided for eschewing the psychological horror that made the 1990 version so effective. The sequel padded itself out with a two-hour-and-forty-nine-minute running time, repetitive solo missions for every Loser Club member, and most damningly a dependence on cartoonish CGI monster moments. Critics were not shy about it—the attack on the Paul Bunyan statue, the grotesquerie creature designs, the visual spectacle that is not actually scary. It was like someone told the filmmakers: Bigger means better, and they darted off blindly downhill.
Chapter Two’s Rotten Tomatoes rating fell 23 points from the original. Box office receipts plummeted by more than $230 million. The message from the crowd was plain: we don’t want spectacle, we want atmosphere.
So what Welcome to Derry accomplishes in its first few minutes? It’s the exact same error. That demon baby on the fly, that horrific beast bursting out of the family vehicle, the extended gore set piece — it’s all Chapter Two’s playbook, dusted off and amazon prime-ready. The scene goes on uncomfortably long, giving up slow-building suspense for cheap scares.The winged creature reappears at the end of the episode and that moment works better narratively, though it can still not come close to the real terror of the opening of the original film.
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This isn’t just one badly staged scene. It’s a matter of philosophy.” IT worked because it knew something fundamental: Pennywise is scariest when horror feels close and personal. The warped Judith painting that plagues Stan, the leper that represents Eddie’s hypochondria, Georgie’s guilt-induced visions — these are mental terrors sculpted around each character’s unique fears.
Welcome to Derry had the formula for greatness. It was allowed to roam in the characters, new traumas, and the societal canvas of ’60s Derry, free from the constraints of a single Stephen King novel. It got a chance to fix Chapter Two’s mistakes. Instead, it fell all over itself, hurrying for a big monster moment without cultivating the mood of dread that makes Pennywise really scary.
Welcome to Derry has already made beats of learning this lesson in later episodes. Hallucination sequences customized to characters’ fears, atmosphere-building scenes using lighting and suspense, and sequences that prey on mental fragility have far outperformed those big CGI set pieces.
If the show continues on this path – sacrificing spectacle to pummel us with character-specific horror – maybe it’ll break its cycle for once. Because the big lesson isn’t that bigger is better. It’s that personal psychological terror will always stand the test of time over a computer-generated creature, no matter how cool it looks on screen.
IT: Welcome to Derry doesn’t come up short for lack of concepts, it wavers because it abandons what made IT so terrifying to begin with. The franchise was at its weakest when Pennywise ballooned into giant CGI monstrosities; it was at its best when fear tiptoed in silently, cloaked in guilt, trauma, and anxieties so personal they couldn’t be named. Instead of building suspense, the series starts with spectacle in what briefly amounts to the exact mistake that undermined IT: Chapter Two.
That’s not to say the show is irredeemable. Its succeeding episodes point to a more comprehensive approach to psychological horror derived from building atmosphere, character-based dread and the gradual disintegration of safety. If Welcome to Derry keeps playing to those strengths, it can still do right by Stephen King’s legacy instead of watering it down. Because Pennywise, at the end of the day, does not need wings, or blood sprays, or extra run time in order to be frightening — he just needs to get close enough to whisper.
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Grab our Rings of Power Season 2 Guide with viewing schedules, Easter eggs, and predictions. Never miss key moments. Read up and watch!
Rings of Power season 2 marks a turning point in the evolution of big-budget streaming TV.As the premier property for Amazon MGM Studios, the series bears a weight of expectation that is exponentially greater than narrative satisfaction. The season 2 narrative approach is a clear progression from its predecessor’s “mystery box” storytelling. Season 1 was built around the concealment of identity, particularly the identity of Halbrand as Sauron. Season 2 becomes a psychological thriller and a sweeping war drama.
The dramatic tension no longer comes from the question of who the characters are, but how the now thoroughly familiar antagonist, in plain sight under the identity of Annatar, leverages the desires and fears of the free peoples of Middle-earth.
Last season, he was the enigmatic drifter. This season Sauron is all stop pretending.
His transformation into Annatar, the “Lord of Gifts”, is not merely a disguise, but a tactical feint. In place of roaring armies, he offers compliments. In place of threats, he brings promises. And the one who falls hardest for this gentle poison is Celebrimbor, an artist who craves for immortal fame.
Their partnership turns the forge into something like a psychological trap. As Celebrimbor makes beauty, Annatar makes his ruin. By the time the truth is revealed, the Rings are not just forged— they are consequences.
Galadriel starts this season as the one deceived. And Middle-earth treats her accordingly.
She bears Nenya now, a ring that heals while it isolates. Visions pull her in ways she can’t completely communicate, and each warning she gives only widens the gap between her and the people she fought for. Even Elrond, her closest friend, doubts whether rings forged in shadow can be wielded in the light.
Their dispute doesn’t erupt—it corrodes. A slow and agonizing separation between two characters who were once unbreakable.
If this season includes a tragic core, it’s him.
Celebrimbor does not hunger for power, he hunger for perfection. He wants them preserved, uncleaned, and permanent. Annatar just brushes up against this need, enough to corrupt it. As Celebrimbor creates more and more, he becomes more and more blind to real—until the city around him is as delicate as the metals he shapes.
He is, by the time the siege commences, the man who sees – but sees too late – that he has given his enemy the means to his own destruction.
Season 2 takes on the art of reinterpreting Tolkien’s world through a new lens, combining known elements with new discoveries. It ventures into the Unseen World, investigating the origins of wraiths and the transformative impact of the rings. Classic figures such as Círdan, whose ancient wisdom is in his very being, and the secretive Tom Bombadil (now roaming the deserts of Rhûn) come alive with an intensity unavailable to them earlier.
As night falls, the old powers are stirring—Barrow-wights and Ents are awakened, and an inviting voice calls the reluctant servant into a new and deadly adventure. The show takes the risk of reimagining Tolkien’s legendarium, and results in some interrogating and splitting fans at best, but its epic scale and love for the material is evident at every turn.
High-fantasy series need long post production periods for vfx rendering. Given the 20-month gap between Seasons 1 and 2, industry watchers are predicting a Season 3 release in late 2026 or early 2027.
If Season 2 was the flint that struck the fire, Season 3 is that fire burning Middle-earth to new shapes and forms. Following the trajectory of the Second Age and the momentum that’s been built up, the new chapter looks like it’s going to be the most dramatic one yet.
Now the minor rings are either already made or falling into the world, all that is left is one moment: Sauron’s return to Mordor. Season 3 will almost certainly take us to the heart of Orodruin, where he creates the Ring that governs every other ambition, alliance, and lie. This will undoubtedly be the visual and emotional centerpiece of the season.
Season 2 sows the seeds of corruption in the leadership of Men. Season 3 sees those seeds potentially sprout into something terrifying. As the Nine Ring holders succumb to shadow and become the Nazgûl, their conversion could be one of the show’s most chilling narratives—part tragedy, part horror.
The history of the Elves turning back the Dark Lord isn’t a story in which they do so alone. The end result is then that Númenor comes raining down on Middle-earth with such force – but not because it is merciful. Season 3 might show Ar-Pharazôn bringing together the great fleet, not to save the Westlands, but to challenge Sauron. The fact that his “victory” leads to Sauron being taken and a far greater doom beginning— the corruption and eventual destruction of Númenor in seasons to come.
With the destruction of Eregion, Elrond has no ground to stand on. Season 3 is where he rounds up the survivors and hides away in a secret valley, which will become the heart of Elvish memory for generations to come. The establishment of Rivendell isn’t just a plot device, it’s the emotional reboot the Elves so desperately require.
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The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Season 2 a definitive “correction” of where the series was heading. They gave up the mystery-box approach for some dramatic irony and inevitable tragedy, and in doing so the show now finds itself more in line with the spirit of Tolkien’s moodier writings. It still invites criticism for the quality of its dialogue and pacing, but its scale of ambition and its bringing to screen key lore events such as the Siege of Eregion and the forging of the Rings — has ensured it a place in the pantheon of modern fantasy television.
The season acts as a manual for how the powerful corrupt, demonstrating how good motives (Celebrimbor’s art, Galadriel’s vigilance, Durin’s duty) can be perverted by a dark mind. As the series advances toward the forging of the One Ring, the stakes will only elevate, promising a finale where the Shadow not only assumes a new form, but shrouds all the lands in darkness.
Fandomfans is a platform to provide a clear breakdown of the series Lord of the Rings season 2 to season 3 guide. Here, we analyse every detail of the series to the nearly speculation of the new season.
Eva Green is set to portray Aunt Ophelia Frump in Wednesday Season 3, bringing dark psychology and mystery to the award-winning series series in 2027.
The fact that Eva Green has been cast as Aunt Ophelia Frump in season three of Netflix’s Wednesday is a huge win in the streaming giant’s content strategy and the growing creative evolution of the Addams Family franchise. The announcement was made official on 25 November 2025 through The Hollywood Reporter, putting an end to months of rampant speculation following the Season 2 cliffhanger.
Green’s addition isn’t just a casting coup, it is a clear shift towards high-stakes psychological horror given her natural and proven working relationship with executive producer Tim Burton and his gothic storytelling roots. It’s about how the popular “Lady Gaga” fan theories are being debunked, the production logistics that indicate a Summer 2027 release, and the deep lore of “Raven” psychics that implies Series 3 will be the franchise’s most intellectually daring outing yet.
The decision to cast Green was accompanied by strong endorsements from the show’s creative leadership. Al Gough and Miles Millar, the creators and showrunners, issued a statement to Tudum that focused on what it is that Green brings to the role — attributes that fit with the show’s developing look and feel.
“Eva Green has always brought an exhilarating, singular presence to the screen — elegant, haunting and beautifully unpredictable, making her the perfect choice for Aunt Ophelia.”
—Al Gough and Miles Millar stated
This is the key quote for understanding what Ophelia is supposed to do. The adjectives “haunting” and “unpredictable” suggest that the character will generate real narrative tension and perhaps menace rather than simply being a quirky relative.
The collaboration marks a reunion between Green and executive producer Tim Burton.Their earlier collaborations on Dark Shadows (2012), Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016) and Dumbo (2019) made Green the definitive “Burton Muse,” who could capture the director’s unique juxtaposition of the macabre and the sympathetic.
Green’s statement on being cast in the role showed a great understanding of the particular tone of the Wednesday universe—a mix of horror and satire.
“I’m excited to be a part of the haplessly warped world of ”Wednesday” as Aunt Ophelia. This is such a wonderfully dark and funny world, I am so excited to add my particular brand of cuckooness to the Addams family.”
—Eva Green said
It suggests a performance that will oscillate between the comedic eccentricity traditional to the Addams Family and the “dark and twisty” depth Green is famous for.
The Wednesday series has dramatically reframed Ophelia, removing all the sitcom levity for gothic tragedy.
The show draws a line between the types of psychic powers: “Doves” (such as Morticia) are gifted with positive, helpful visions, while “Davens” (such as Wednesday) are plagued by violent, bleak and isolating ones.
Ophelia is a confirmed Raven, just like her niece. And this designation is key, meaning that Ophelia’s “madness” is caused by the very same burden that Wednesday is carrying. She is a “Ghost of Christmas Future” for Wednesday—a cautionary tale of what occurs when a Raven goes “to the limit and beyond” with her gifts.
Unlike the 1964 version, Netflix’s Ophelia endured a traumatic past in and out of institutions. The story discloses that she was lobotomized at Willow Hill Psychiatric Hospital by her mother, Hester Frump (Joanna Lumley).
The trigger of Ophelia’s return is her journal, in possession of Wednesday, whom Morticia entrusts with it as a sign of trust. That object acts as a device, and the two women, aunt and niece (Wednesday) across time while having a vision.
According to Movieweb, The need to cast Green is so urgent because of the explosive final moments of Season 2, Ophelia (back view) in a red dress, committing “Wednesday must die” in her own blood on the cell wall. The iconic image of the finale—and the teaser for Season 3.
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According to Collider, Ophelia’s statement that “Wednesday must die” makes her an immediate danger. However, given the “Raven” aspect of her abilities, she could be seeing a future in which Wednesday turns into a means to an end for potential global destruction, and her trying to kill him is a very warped form of heroism. Or, she could be affected by the madness brought on by her captivity.
Ophelia is more than a psychic threat, “blood on the wall” evokes a bodily threat and Wednesday has never been confronted by a relative in such a fashion.
The typical post-production schedule of 12 to 14 months for a show that relies heavily on VFX (with werewolves, hydes, and disembodied hands), Season 3’s estimated release is Summer 2027.
Hester (Joanna Lumley) is unmasked as a cold-blooded pragmatist who locked up her own child. In Season 3, Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Wednesday face off with Hester, contesting the family pecking order.
Morticia is the “Dove” that survived by assimilating (somewhat), Ophelia is the “Raven” that was shattered. Green and Zeta-Jones together on screen is one hell of a clash of acting titans as they interrogate the guilt Morticia feels over her sister’s fate.
The choice of Eva Green to play Wednesday op indicates a clear rise in Wednesday’s franchise potential. In signing an actress of Green’s calibre – who is very much a face for the ‘gothic prestige’ genre – Netflix is making sure that season three has the dramatic heft to match the global phenomenon that the first two seasons have become.
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