After months of uncertainty, HBO is finally delivering some good news to fans of its hit horror series “It: Welcome to Derry.”
On Monday, August 17, HBO announced it had greenlit the Stephen King-inspired series for a second season.
‘IT: Welcome to Derry’
A spinoff of Stephen King’s classic horror novel — which spawned a 1990 TV miniseries and two feature films — “It: Welcome to Derry” delves into the origin story of evil clown Pennywise, with Bill Skarsgård reprising the role he played in 2017’s “It,” and again in the 2019 sequel.
“We are excited to return to the chilling world of Derry and to further expand on Andy and Barbara Muschietti’s horrifically iconic adaptation. Together with Brad Caleb Kane, they will break new ground in season two, deepening the terror, the mystery, and the unforgettable Pennywise lore that fans love to devour,” said Sarah Aubrey, head of HBO Max original programming
“We know It: Welcome to Derry’ will continue to captivate viewers with its spine-tingling new journey into the 1930s for Season 2,” said Collins White, president, creative affairs, Warner Bros. Television. “We look forward to bringing fans back to the town of Derry to experience the next chapter and uncover even more of what lies beneath the surface.”
Added executive producers Andy and Barbara Muschietti, “Continuing to explore and expand on the amazing world Stephen King created is an absolute privilege. The support of our partners at HBO and Warner Bros. Television is priceless. Boy do we love our jobs!”
Inside Season 2
HBOAs the logline for the upcoming season reveals, the storyline will shift to a different era in the wicked history of Derry, Maine.
The first season was set in 1962, when a couple and their young son a couple arrives to their new home in the cursed Maine town, Shortly after they settle in, a young boy disappears, followed by a series of very bad things that begin to happen in the town.
“Set in the world of Stephen King’s ‘It’ universe, ‘It: Welcome to Derry’ is based on King’s ‘It’ novel and expands the vision established by filmmaker Andy Muschietti in the feature films ‘It’ and ‘It Chapter Two,'” reads the logline. “Season 2 takes place in 1935 during the Great Depression and centers on the massacre of the Bradley Gang, a group of bank robbers who stop in Derry to buy ammo and end up facing unimaginable horror.”
Months of Uncertainty
HBOThe first season aired in fall 2025, and received largely positive reviews.
That, however, led to some confusion regarding the fate of the show, with HBO not officially renewing the series until now.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the reason for the delay in greenlighting the second season had to do with some behind-the-scenes changes, with Caleb Kane (who was co-showrunner of Season 1 with Jason Fuchs) now flying solo as sole showrunner.
“We’re told that creative development on the new season took a bit of time given the team is re-starting the story from scratch, thus the renewal delay,” noted THR.
