Consider this logline: in mid-20th century America, a collection of Black citizens join together to create a juke joint where they can drink, party, and be free from the tension generated by racist members of the local community, but the endeavor is met with disaster thanks to supernaturally-charged efforts of the local Klan. Now, did I just describe the plot of Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, or did I just describe the plot of the new HBO series IT: Welcome To Derry?
The answer is “Yes to both,” and it’s a coincidence that I felt compelled to bring up earlier this month while covering the virtual press day for the upcoming Stephen King TV series. Speaking with Andy and Barbara Muschietti (who co-created IT: Welcome To Derry with co-showrunner Jason Fuchs), I made note of the comparison and asked for their thoughts, and the former noted that the similarities are definitely a coincidence – while noting that the plot in question comes straight from Stephen King’s book. Said the filmmaker,
You're talking about Sinners? Well, that was a coincidence, and it's a great movie. I don't think it ruins or it messes anything of our story because our story is very different. You know, The Black Spot is something that was very established in the book. And since we decided to include all the interludes of the book in our series, The Black Spot was a very important chapter of this bigger narrative. But I really enjoyed Sinners, and I thought it was phenomenal.
In Stephen King’s IT, the story of the Black Spot is one that is recounted to young Mike Hanlon as he is at the bedside of his dying father. The elder Hanlon recalls being stationed in Derry during his time in the army, and he joined a group of other Black soldiers in transforming a decommissioned shed into a safe space for partying. There are some key differences in the story that Ryan Coogler tells in Sinners, but the similarities are also undeniable.
Following her brother’s comments, Barbara Muschietti added that she was one of the many who purchased an opening weekend ticket to see the 2025 crime/horror masterpiece earlier this year, and she was happy to sing its praises to anyone… but it wasn’t until someone pointed out the similarities to IT: Welcome To Derry that she connected the dots:
I went to see it in opening weekend, and I wrote Ryan and I said, 'My God, you know what an amazing original...' Went all out, told everybody about Sinners, and like a month later, somebody tells me, 'Oh, but it's like in the show,' and like, my jaw dropped because I hadn't even thought about it. It just didn't compute. But it's an amazing, amazing movie. And can't wait for the sequel!
The story of The Black Spot is at the core of IT: Welcome To Derry Season 1, but there is definitely a whole lot more going on beyond that particular plot thread – and horror fans everywhere will soon be able to discover that for themselves. After years of waiting, fans will be invited to return to the worst city in Maine this Sunday, October 26 when the show premieres on HBO (and it will be instantly available to stream with a HBO Max subscription). The series has been getting exciting buzz, and having already seen the first five episodes personally, I can promise you that it’s a delight… and you should definitely stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more from my interviews with the filmmakers and stars of the new show.
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