Fans have been left wondering about the future after the It: Welcome to Derry finale. The HBO series, which serves as a prequel to the popular It films, concluded its first season with the tag “Chapter One,” strongly suggesting more story to come. While HBO has not yet made an official announcement about a second season, the show’s creative team has detailed plans for continuing the horror saga. Here is a look at what could happen next.
Current Renewal Status for Season 2
As of now, HBO has not confirmed a second season of It: Welcome to Derry. The decision is still pending. The show had a very strong start, with its premiere becoming one of the biggest in HBO’s history. However, reports indicate that its high viewership did not consistently hold throughout the entire first season. This, along with broader company changes at Warner Bros., has contributed to the wait for a renewal announcement.
Despite the lack of a green light, the creators are ready to move forward. Showrunner Jason Fuchs has stated that he and the creative team have “a rough plan for three seasons” mapped out.
“If audiences and HBO decide that there’s an ability to keep telling these stories, we certainly have more stories in our brains,” Fuchs told Decider.
Planned Story and Setting for the Next Season
If renewed, the story will move backwards in time. The first season was set in 1962. Following the 27-year cycle of Pennywise’s awakenings, the next season is planned to explore the previous cycle in 1935.
Creator Andy Muschietti has confirmed the central historical event for this era: the Bradley Gang massacre. This bloody gang shootout, referenced in Stephen King’s original novel and glimpsed in the films, will be a major focus. The season would be set during the Great Depression, exploring how fear and hardship in Derry feed the entity.
The narrative will also delve deeper into the origins and motives of Pennywise. Muschietti has explained that future seasons aim to answer the bigger questions about the creature.
The season one finale set up a major new threat: Pennywise’s perception of time. The clown told Marge that he experiences past, present, and future simultaneously and sees his own death. He revealed a plan to travel back to kill her as a teenager to prevent the birth of her son, Richie Tozier—a key member of the future Losers’ Club. This opens the door for the show to directly interfere with the timeline fans know from the movies.
Potential Cast and Returning Characters
A jump back to 1935 means the cast would look very different. Most characters from the 1962 storyline would not yet be born. However, a few key figures could return in younger forms.
- Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise: The actor is expected to return as the shape-shifting entity, a role he also executive produces.
- Younger Versions of Season 1 Characters: Andy Muschietti confirmed that season two would include “some characters from this season as well, but younger versions of them”. This could include characters like Rose, the expert on Pennywise’s weaknesses.
- Ingrid Kersh: The character, played by Tyner Rushing in 1935 flashbacks, is confirmed to be in Derry during that time and is likely to have a larger role. The finale also strengthened her connection to the main story through a post-credits scene with Beverly Marsh.
- New Characters & Ancestors: The season would introduce a new group of characters fighting Pennywise. It may also show the ancestors or younger parents of the classic Losers’ Club members. The first season established that Marge is actually Margaret Tozier, Richie’s mother.
Possible Release Timeline and Production
No production dates are set without a renewal. However, based on typical production cycles for major series, if a second season is approved soon, filming likely would not begin until late 2026.
Given the visual effects needed for the show, a realistic release window would be 2027. A Halloween premiere period would fit the show’s horror theme, similar to the first season’s release.
How Season 1 Set Up Future Stories
The first season finale, titled “Winter Fire,” planted several seeds for a continuing story.
- The “Chapter One” Title Card: The episode ended with an explicit title card calling the season “It: Welcome to Derry… Chapter One,” signaling the start of a larger saga.
- Pennywise’s Time-Travel Threat: The clown’s plan to alter the past by targeting the parents of the Losers’ Club creates a new kind of stakes.
- Passing the Torch: The ending showed Rose asking the Hanlon family to take over her farm and the fight against Pennywise, directly linking to Mike Hanlon’s role as Derry’s guardian in the future films.
- The Three-Season Plan: Creator Andy Muschietti has confirmed the broader plan spans three distinct time periods. Following a potential 1935 season, the story would jump back another 27 years to 1908 for a third season. That season would focus on the Kitchener Ironworks explosion, another tragic event from Derry’s history referenced in King’s book.
Also Read: IT: Welcome to Derry Finale Cast Breakdown — Who Faced Pennywise in the Final Episode?
