It: Welcome to Derry Season 2 officially confirmed – including story details

It's now official: The second season of "It: Welcome to Derry" is coming. HBO has officially greenlit the new episodes of the horror series, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.

"Welcome to Derry" serves as a prequel to Andy Muschietti's two-part "It" film adaptation, which in turn is based on Stephen King's classic novel of the same name. Muschietti also served as director of several episodes for the series. In the second season, he will once again serve as an executive producer alongside Barbara Muschietti and Brad Caleb Kane. Kane is now the series' sole showrunner; previously, he had shared the role with Jason Fuchs. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sarah Aubrey, Head of HBO Max Original Programming, said of the creators:

"Together [...] they will break new ground in season two, deepening the terror, the mystery, and the unforgettable Pennywise lore that fans love to devour."

The second season of Welcome to Derry is set in 1935

It remains to be seen when the new episodes will air. However, initial details about the plot of Season 2 have emerged, already hinting at how the world of the horror clown Pennywise will be explored in greater depth. We'll get further insights into the past: While the first season was set in 1962, the new episodes take place in 1935 during the Great Depression. The focus is on the bloody history of the Bradley Gang. The bank robbers also played a role in King's original novel, "It". Apparently, they will be of particular significance in the second season of the horror series.

Should there be a third season of "It: Welcome to Derry," there will likely be another time jump. Last year, Andy Muschietti spoke about his plans to tell the story of Pennywise over the course of three seasons, each set in a different time period. He revealed to Variety:

"Our big story arc involves three seasons, mainly based on the three critical cycles of Pennywise, which are 1962, 1935 and 1908."

The cast for the second season has not yet been announced. However, Bill Skarsgård is expected to return in the role of Pennywise. After all, he played the horror clown not only in the series but also in Andy Muschietti's two-part "It" film adaptation. With his terrifying performance, he proved to be a worthy successor to Tim Curry, who had already portrayed the character in an unforgettable way in the 1990 TV adaptation. Skarsgård thus also played a key role in the success of Muschietti's two films, which together grossed over $1.1 billion at the global box office.

Carrie: The next Stephen King series is coming soon

"It: Welcome to Derry" is just one of many Stephen King adaptations. The bestselling author's novels are repeatedly adapted for film and television. These include cinematic classics such as Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" with Jack Nicholson, Frank Darabont's "The Shawshank Redemption" with Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, Rob Reiner's "Misery" with Kathy Bates, and Brian De Palma's "Carrie" with Sissy Spacek. The latter film is based on King's 1974 novel of the same name. More than 50 years after the book's publication, another "Carrie" adaptation is now in the works – this time, however, as a series.

This reimagining of King's cult novel comes from Mike Flanagan, who most recently wrote and directed another King adaptation, the film "The Life of Chuck." Once again, the story centers on the young title character with telekinetic powers, played this time by Summer H. Howell. In addition, however, Flanagan has taken a surprising approach to his version of "Carrie": Alongside the protagonist, we'll also get to know other women over the course of the episodes who apparently possess supernatural abilities as well. Over the course of the first season, the show will explore the nature of Carrie's connection to these other characters. We'll find out what this is all about very soon: "Carrie" premieres on October 7, 2026, on Prime Video. The trailer offers a first glimpse of the new series: