With the premiere of It: Welcome to Derry fast approaching, HBO has stepped up promotion for the series ahead of its October 26, 2025, debut. Among the newly released marketing materials is a collection of retro-styled posters, which have sparked a heated debate online.

The posters, shared by the official Welcome to Derry social media accounts, appear without artist attribution. Soon after, advertising agency Cold Open — which previously worked on campaigns for The Strangers: Chapter 2 — also posted the same materials, again with no credit to any illustrator or designer.

That absence of attribution, along with the distinct style of the posters, has led to growing speculation that the images might have been created using generative AI in place of a traditional illustrator. The comment sections across social media quickly filled with questions and concerns. Some users expressed simple curiosity — like @pineneedlesultra on Instagram, who asked, “omg who’s the artist!” Others were more direct, such as @Evinrude on X (formerly Twitter), who wrote, “Nice AI slop you got there,” in response to HBO’s post.

An eagle-eyed user took to Reddit to say: “I was on the fence, but I actually think that it is [AI].” They continued with: “The seat separations are weird and inconsistent (where the lower cushions are separated) and the line between Pennywise’s ring and pinkie fingers is QUITE long. The popcorn to the far left is defying gravity, and the lid to the drink cup is doing some möbius strip work. Her shoe buckle placements don’t make sense either. His socks match his pants and he lacks fingernails.”

Here’s the main IT: Welcome to Derry retro style poster

As of now, neither Warner Bros. nor Cold Open has publicly commented on whether the artwork was created with AI or by a human artist. That lack of confirmation has only fueled further debate, especially among fans sensitive to the growing trend of studios using generative tools instead of hiring illustrators.

The posters in question depict nostalgic, mid-century–style scenes: a cereal ad, a couple in a movie theater, a family out for a walk, a pickle advertisement, and a candy store promotion. Viewers have pointed out certain irregularities — including distorted hands and unnatural proportions — as supposed signs of AI involvement.

Still, at this point, the origins of the artwork remain unverified. We’ve included the posters and a selection of social reactions below so you can decide for yourself whether IT: Welcome to Derry’s marketing team turned to AI or simply leaned into surreal design choices.

Pls tag whoever is making these, they are incredible

— Certified Cinephile (@CertifiedCineph) October 1, 2025

It: Welcome to Derry is planned for a total of three seasons, with the first taking place in 1962, the second in 1935, and the third in 1908. The series itself will reportedly cover the interlude chapters from the Stephen King novel. Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti, and Jason Fuchs developed the series for HBO. Fuchs will serve as showrunner alongside Brad Caleb Kane. Bill Skarsgård will reprise his role as Pennywise.

Now that you’ve had a chance to pore over the images, we’d love to hear what you have to say. Drop down to the comments section below and share your take.

Categorized: News