The first season of IT: Welcome to Derry concluded its story of 1962, but the creators have a clear plan to move the horror backwards in time. A second season would center on one of Derry’s most infamous historical tragedies.
Series co-creator Andy Muschietti has stated that the story was designed from the start as a multi-season project. While HBO has not officially announced a renewal, the show’s strong performance and the detailed roadmap for future stories make a second chapter very likely.
“From the genesis of this project, we had the idea to make it three seasons,” Muschietti said, explaining that each season aligns with a major catastrophic event described in the interludes of Stephen King’s original novel.
Season 2 Storyline: The 1935 Cycle and the Bradley Gang
If the series continues, the story will jump back 27 years to 1935. This period is defined by the Bradley Gang massacre, a pivotal and violent event referenced in both King’s book and the IT films.
The Bradley Gang was a group of bandits who robbed stores in Derry. Their story ended in a bloody shootout with town citizens. Creepy witness accounts from the novel mention people seeing a clown with the gang during the shooting, or even floating outside a window, directly linking the violence to Pennywise’s influence. The season would explore how the fear and economic tensions of the Great Depression in Derry feed into this tragedy.
This follows the pattern established in Season 1, which focused on the 1962 burning of the Black Spot. Each season highlights a specific “augury”—a final, massive tragedy that marks the end of one of Pennywise’s 27-year feeding cycles.
Returning Faces and a New Cast
Due to the 27-year time jump, the cast would see major changes, with one major exception.
- Bill Skarsgård is expected to return as Pennywise. He has become synonymous with the role through two films and the series, and also serves as an executive producer.
- Tyner Rushing, who played a younger version of Ingrid Kersh in 1935 flashbacks during Season 1, could reprise her role in the proper 1935 timeline.
- The season will feature “younger versions” of some characters from the first season. This could include figures like Rose, an expert on Pennywise, or ancestors of characters fans already know.
- Most other roles will be recast with new actors, though familiar family names from Derry’s history are likely to appear.
How Season 1 Set the Stage for Time Travel
The first season’s finale introduced a crucial element that allows the story to move backwards: Pennywise’s unique perception of time.
The entity experiences the past, present, and future all at once. During the climax, Pennywise reveals to young Marge Truman that he knows she will grow up to become Margaret Tozier, the mother of Richie Tozier. He tries to kill her to prevent Richie’s birth and thus his own future defeat at the hands of the Losers Club.
This failed attempt suggests Pennywise might try to target the ancestors of his future enemies in earlier cycles. As Marge speculates at the end of Season 1, “He could go back in time and target our parents next”. This concept sets up future seasons as a kind of horror chase through time, with Pennywise attempting to alter history to ensure his survival.
Release Timeline and Production Outlook
Fans will need to be patient for a return to Derry. As an official renewal is still pending, production has not begun.
- If the series is renewed, filming is not expected to start until the second half of 2026 at the earliest.
- Given the extensive visual effects required, this could lead to a potential release window around Halloween 2027 or possibly 2028.
- The creators have expressed a strong desire to continue. Andy Muschietti has acknowledged the show is “not a cheap” production but believes “everybody’s intention is to make it”.
The Larger Plan: A Three-Season Story Arc
The vision for Welcome to Derry extends beyond a second season. Muschietti has consistently discussed a three-season plan.
- Season 1 (Released): Set in 1962, covering the Black Spot fire.
- Season 2 (Planned): Set in 1935, covering the Bradley Gang massacre.
- Season 3 (Planned): Set in 1908, covering the Kitchener Ironworks explosion, a disaster that killed 102 people, including 88 children.
This structure is inspired by the historical interludes researched by Mike Hanlon in Stephen King’s novel. The Season 1 finale reinforced this plan by changing its title card to “IT: Welcome to Derry… Chapter One“.
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