‘It: Welcome to Derry’ season 2 confirmed as HBO reveals a darker 1935 story

Pennywise is officially returning to Derry as HBO has renewed It: Welcome to Derry for season 2, with the story moving 27 years further into the past. The next chapter will be set in 1935 and centre on the Bradley Gang, a group of bank robbers whose arrival in Derry leads to a horrific event. The renewal and storyline details were confirmed by HBO, with the creators returning to expand Stephen King’s mythology.

The second season will move away from the 1962 setting established in the first season and enter the Great Depression era. According to the details released with the renewal, the Bradley Gang will stop in Derry while travelling to obtain ammunition before becoming caught up in the town’s supernatural horrors.

The storyline draws from an interlude in King’s It, where the Bradley Gang massacre forms part of Derry’s violent history. Series co creator Andy Muschietti has previously confirmed that the Bradley Gang would provide the foundation for the second season, describing the period as dramatically different from the setting of the first instalment.

The time jump is significant because It: Welcome to Derry was designed around the recurring nature of the creature’s appearances. The first season was set in 1962, while the second season will travel back to 1935. The creators have previously discussed a larger three season plan that would move even further into Derry’s history, potentially reaching 1908 in a future season.

Muschietti previously told Variety that the writers’ room was already working on the second season. He explained that the 1935 setting would allow the series to address the social and cultural realities of the era instead of treating the period simply as a backdrop for supernatural horror. He described the Depression era as a time when people were struggling to survive, creating circumstances that would significantly affect the characters and their choices.

The creators Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti are returning, alongside showrunner Brad Caleb Kane. The renewal statement also indicated that the creative team intends to deepen the mythology surrounding Pennywise and Derry while taking the story into another historical period.

Bill Skarsgård’s return as Pennywise has not been officially confirmed as part of the season 2 cast announcement. However, the character remains central to the series mythology, and the new storyline is expected to continue exploring the entity’s history and connection with Derry. Casting details for the new season have not yet been fully announced.

The first season established the series as a prequel to the It films while drawing directly from elements of King’s original novel. Its story explored an earlier cycle of violence in Derry and introduced new characters alongside connections to established figures from the wider mythology.

The move to 1935 also gives the series an opportunity to show a very different version of Derry. Muschietti has said the period will reflect the harsh realities of the Great Depression, with poverty, desperation and social tensions shaping the world around the characters. Those themes are expected to sit alongside the supernatural horror that defines the franchise.

HBO has yet to announce a release date for season 2. The network has also not confirmed the complete cast or episode count for the new instalment.