‘It: Welcome to Derry’ hailed as ‘magnificent’ in reviews

The prequel series based on Stephen King’s novel, It: Welcome to Derry has finally premiered on HBO.

Taking place before the events of the smash hit films, Bill Skarsgard makes his highly anticipated return as Pennywise the clown.

As fans begin to tune into watch the show, audience reviews have been relatively glowing so far.

People who were familiar with the franchise as children seem to love the new show, as one user wrote on IMDb, “They really dialed ‘it’ up for tv didn't they?! I grew up on the OG miniseries and remember the genuine dread that induced in me as a kid. Gotta say I wasn't really interested in this version but my wife has devoured SK since her youth so of course I watched it with her. Needless to say I'm impressed.”

While acknowledging its weak points, audiences still seem to be interested in how the show is gonna go, “Magnificent. Been anticipating for a while it's so great and doesn't deserve hate maybe a little but it's mostly worth watching! Didn't expect horror already that was well done, unexpected great characters, smooth directing so far, and just really cool series that gets better as it goes on.”

However, not everyone shares that opinion, as one viewer pointed out the “weak” acting performances and comical tone, “The acting is notably weak, with performances that feel forced rather than genuine, making it difficult to connect with the story or the characters. What's most disappointing, however, is the tone - the ‘scary’ moments come off more comical than chilling, undermining the eerie atmosphere that It is known for.”

RELATED: Pennywise makes haunting return in ‘It: Welcome to Derry’ trailer: watch