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HBO Announces It: Welcome to Derry Season 2, Bringing Dark-Inspired Time-Travel to Stephen Kings Derry
HBO has greenlit a second season of its Stephen King adaptation It: Welcome to Derry, promising a deeper plunge into the haunted town of Derry and a new wave of time‑travel horror. The announcement follows the network’s reveal that the writers’ room will now feature creators from Netflix’s Dark and Stranger Things, along with writers from The Penguin and Fallout.
The first season premiered on HBO on October 26 2025 and quickly earned praise for its sharp direction, high‑production values and Bill Skarsgård’s chilling portrayal of Pennywise. Positioned as a pre‑quel to the 2017 film It and its 2019 sequel It Chapter Two, the series follows a family that moves to Derry, Maine, in 1962 amid a series of unsettling events.
According to reports, the new season will turn its attention to the 1935 cycle of Pennywise’s hauntings—a period that the first season only hinted at through references to the Bradley Gang Massacre. Writers are expected to trace the events that led to the 1935 massacre and weave in other historical incidents tied to the town, such as the 1908 Kitchener Ironworks Explosion. By moving the narrative back 27 years for each new season, the series will echo the pattern established in the original novel, in which the entity appears roughly every 27 years.
The expanded creative team for season 2 includes:
Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar, the duo behind Dark, who are known for intricate, multi‑timeline storytelling; Jessica Mecklenburg, a writer‑producer from Stranger Things; John McCutcheon of The Penguin; Tara Shivkumar, a producer from Fallout.
Their involvement signals a deliberate push toward the series’ sci‑fi elements, particularly the idea that Pennywise can perceive time non‑linearly and may travel back to influence past generations. The writers are reportedly working to weave these concepts into the established lore while preserving the horror tone that has defined the show.
Production details remain largely unchanged. Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti continue as creators, with Muschietti also directing. Executive producers include Bill Skarsgård, Brad Kane, Dan Lin, Jason Fuchs, Roy Lee, David Coatsworth and Shelley Meals. While the season 2 cast has not yet been announced, the first season’s ensemble featured Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, James Remar and Chris Chalk.
HBO has not set a release date for the second season. The network’s official statement notes that the series is “in development” and that the writers are “building the next chapter of the story.” No additional details about the episode count or premiere schedule have been released.
Bringing talent from Dark and Stranger Things is significant because it signals a desire to deepen the narrative complexity of the series. While the first season focused on the 1962 cycle, the new season’s focus on 1935 will allow the show to explore earlier iterations of the Losers Club and the town’s darker history. The writers are also expected to continue the series’ subtle references to other Stephen King works, such as The Shining, Doctor Sleep and the Dark Tower series.
In summary, HBO has confirmed that It: Welcome to Derry season 2 is in development with an expanded writers’ room that includes creators known for intricate time‑travel narratives. The new season will likely focus on the 1935 cycle of Pennywise’s hauntings and will continue to build on the reverse‑chronology structure introduced in the first season. While a premiere date has not yet been announced, the series remains a key part of HBO’s horror slate and a notable adaptation of Stephen King’s work.
The first season premiered on HBO on October 26 2025 and quickly earned praise for its sharp direction, high‑production values and Bill Skarsgård’s chilling portrayal of Pennywise. Positioned as a pre‑quel to the 2017 film It and its 2019 sequel It Chapter Two, the series follows a family that moves to Derry, Maine, in 1962 amid a series of unsettling events.
According to reports, the new season will turn its attention to the 1935 cycle of Pennywise’s hauntings—a period that the first season only hinted at through references to the Bradley Gang Massacre. Writers are expected to trace the events that led to the 1935 massacre and weave in other historical incidents tied to the town, such as the 1908 Kitchener Ironworks Explosion. By moving the narrative back 27 years for each new season, the series will echo the pattern established in the original novel, in which the entity appears roughly every 27 years.
The expanded creative team for season 2 includes:
Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar, the duo behind Dark, who are known for intricate, multi‑timeline storytelling; Jessica Mecklenburg, a writer‑producer from Stranger Things; John McCutcheon of The Penguin; Tara Shivkumar, a producer from Fallout.
Their involvement signals a deliberate push toward the series’ sci‑fi elements, particularly the idea that Pennywise can perceive time non‑linearly and may travel back to influence past generations. The writers are reportedly working to weave these concepts into the established lore while preserving the horror tone that has defined the show.
Production details remain largely unchanged. Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti continue as creators, with Muschietti also directing. Executive producers include Bill Skarsgård, Brad Kane, Dan Lin, Jason Fuchs, Roy Lee, David Coatsworth and Shelley Meals. While the season 2 cast has not yet been announced, the first season’s ensemble featured Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, James Remar and Chris Chalk.
HBO has not set a release date for the second season. The network’s official statement notes that the series is “in development” and that the writers are “building the next chapter of the story.” No additional details about the episode count or premiere schedule have been released.
Bringing talent from Dark and Stranger Things is significant because it signals a desire to deepen the narrative complexity of the series. While the first season focused on the 1962 cycle, the new season’s focus on 1935 will allow the show to explore earlier iterations of the Losers Club and the town’s darker history. The writers are also expected to continue the series’ subtle references to other Stephen King works, such as The Shining, Doctor Sleep and the Dark Tower series.
In summary, HBO has confirmed that It: Welcome to Derry season 2 is in development with an expanded writers’ room that includes creators known for intricate time‑travel narratives. The new season will likely focus on the 1935 cycle of Pennywise’s hauntings and will continue to build on the reverse‑chronology structure introduced in the first season. While a premiere date has not yet been announced, the series remains a key part of HBO’s horror slate and a notable adaptation of Stephen King’s work.
