QUICK ANSWER— Is ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’ Season 2 happening?

Yes. At the 53rd Annual Saturn Awards (March 8, 2026), co-creator Andy Muschietti officially confirmed that Season 2 of “IT: Welcome to Derry” is in the works and promises it will be “even greater” than the first season. HBO has not yet issued a formal greenlight, but network CEO Casey Bloys has stated he is “100% on board” and would “happily” renew the show. Production could begin as early as late 2026, with a projected release window of late 2027 or early 2028.

The season wrapped on December 15, 2025, with its finale drawing a series-high 6.5 million viewers. Naturally, every fan has the same burning question: Will there be a Season 2 of “Welcome to Derry”?

The answer — based on everything we know as of March 2026 — is a confident yes, with fresh confirmation arriving just days ago. Below, we break down the renewal status, the creators’ three-season roadmap, the expected release date, returning cast, plot details, and more.

Is “IT: Welcome to Derry” renewed for Season 2?

As of March 11, 2026, “IT: Welcome to Derry” has not received a formal official greenlight from HBO — but the confirmation that it is actively in development is now stronger than ever.

The biggest update came on March 8, 2026, when co-creator Andy Muschietti took the stage at the 53rd Annual Saturn Awards in Los Angeles — where “IT: Welcome to Derry” won the award for Best Horror Television Series. At the post-awards press conference, Muschietti was asked about Season 2 and responded: “There’s not much we can say but yes,” adding that they plan to make it greater. His co-creator and sister Barbara Muschietti echoed the sentiment.

Prior to the Saturn Awards confirmation, HBO CEO Casey Bloys had already addressed fan concerns in a late January interview with Deadline. He described the show as “a huge success” and directly refuted any suggestion that Season 2 was in doubt: “Let me say, not in limbo at all. Hardly. It was a huge success for us. I would happily do it.”

Bloys explained that the slight delay in a formal announcement stems from a creative challenge unique to “Welcome to Derry”: unlike “The Last of Us” or “House of the Dragon”, there is no source novel for Season 2 to directly adapt. The Muschietti siblings and their writing team must invent the story from scratch, drawing on lore from Stephen King’s “IT” — and Bloys made clear he won’t greenlight the series until the team has a story they’re genuinely excited about.

Season 1 By the Numbers• Premiere viewers (first 3 days): 5.7 million• Season finale viewers: 6.5 million (series high)• Average global viewers per episode: ~10.7 million• HBO Max debut ranking: #3 of all time (behind “House of the Dragon” and “The Last of Us”)• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81% (162 critics)• Metacritic Score: 61/100 (generally favourable)

The creators’ three-season plan for ‘Welcome to Derry’

From the very first pitch, Andy and Barbara Muschietti conceived “Welcome to Derry” as a three-season series. The structural engine of this plan is elegant: each season travels 27 years further back in time, mirroring Pennywise’s horrifying feeding cycle — the cosmic horror at the heart of Stephen King’s novel.

Co-creator Andy Muschietti (left) discusses the success of ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’ at a promotional event for the HBO Max series.

Andy Muschietti explained the concept to Variety: “Our first pitch to Stephen King was to tell the story backward. It has to do with how Pennywise experiences time in a non-linear way.”

Season	Year Set	Primary Focus	Status
Season 1	1962	Black Spot Massacre / The Hanlon Family	Released (Oct–Dec 2025)
Season 2	1935	The Bradley Gang Massacre / Great Depression Derry	In Development
Season 3	1908	Pennywise’s Origins / Early Derry	Planned (pending S2)

Showrunners Jason Fuchs and Brad Caleb Kane have echoed the Muschiettis’ vision, confirming the backwards-time arc is the creative spine of the entire series. The finale of Season 1 reinforced this with a key narrative device: Pennywise’s revelation that he experiences time non-linearly. This isn’t just clever storytelling — it’s the structural justification for why each season can stand independently while contributing to a larger mythology.

What will “Welcome to Derry” Season 2 be about?

Based on interviews with the creative team and the lore built into Season 1, here is what to expect from the plot of “IT: Welcome to Derry” Season 2.

Setting: Derry, Maine — 1935

Season 2 will be set 27 years before Season 1, during the Great Depression. This era carries its own horror independent of Pennywise — economic desperation, social fractures, and a town already culturally primed for violence and fear. It is precisely the kind of environment that Pennywise thrives on and amplifies.

The Bradley Gang Massacre

The central event of Season 2 is expected to be the Bradley Gang Massacre — a notorious episode referenced in King’s novel. The Bradley Gang were a group of Depression-era criminals who robbed stores across Derry and met a violent end in a major shootout. Eyewitnesses reportedly claimed to have seen a clown at the scene. This story — part Bonnie-and-Clyde mythology, part supernatural horror — promises to be one of the most intense chapters in the entire Pennywise saga.

Andy Muschietti confirmed to Variety: “It involves the massacre of the Bradley Gang from the books. It takes place during the Depression in Derry, and there are some new characters and some characters from this season as well, but younger versions of them.”

Ingrid Kersh and Returning Lore

Season 1 already began laying the groundwork for 1935 through flashbacks. Ingrid Kersh — the daughter of Pennywise’s human alias Bob Gray — was shown working at Juniper Hill asylum in 1935, encountering what she believed was her father returned.

Given the bombshell revelation in the Season 1 finale connecting Kersh to the broader mythology of “IT”, her 1935 storyline is expected to be a major pillar of Season 2.

Pennywise as a Non-Linear Entity

Perhaps the most significant thematic development of the Season 1 finale was the revelation that Pennywise does not experience time the way humans do. He sees all of his cycles simultaneously — meaning that what happens in 1935 may directly inform what happens in 1962, and vice versa.

This gives Season 2 a genuinely unique storytelling opportunity: actions taken in the past could ripple forward in ways audiences will understand because they’ve already seen Season 1.

“Welcome to Derry” Season 2 release date: When can we expect “It”?

With no official greenlight yet, no production start date has been confirmed. However, based on what we know about HBO’s development timeline and the show’s production history, here is the most accurate projection available.

Release Date EstimateEarliest filming start: Late 2026  |  Most likely release window: Late 2027 or Early 2028  |  If production delays occur: Late 2028

Season 1 began filming in May 2023 and wrapped in August 2024 — a 15-month production window that included a significant pause during the Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes. Season 2 should benefit from a more efficient production pipeline, since the creative team no longer needs to establish the world from scratch. However, as a VFX-heavy production, post-production will still require considerable time.

The good news: the Muschiettis have previously stated it is “not the intention” that fans will have to wait years between seasons. HBO’s pattern with prestige horror — such as “The Last of Us” — suggests the network is willing to move reasonably quickly once a greenlight is issued. The Saturn Awards momentum and continued critical buzz will likely accelerate the formal announcement in the coming weeks or months.

“IT: Welcome to Derry” Season 2 cast: Who returns?

Because Season 2 jumps back to 1935 — 27 years before Season 1 — most of the characters from the first season simply would not yet have been born. This means a largely new ensemble, with a few key exceptions.

The young cast of HBO’s hit horror series ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’ Season 1, which is set to be followed by a second season exploring an earlier timeline.

Actor	Character	Season 2 Status
Bill Skarsgård	Pennywise / IT	Confirmed — the only guaranteed returnee
Joan Gregson	Ingrid Kersh (older)	Likely — established in 1935 via S1 flashbacks
Matilda Lawler	Marge Truman	Possible — per timeline analysis
Finn Wolfhard	Richie Tozier (future)	Hinted — via separate future IT project
TBA	New 1935 Characters	To be announced post-greenlight

Finn Wolfhard, who appeared in the Season 1 finale as Richie Tozier, has hinted at future involvement in the “IT” universe, telling interviewers: “I’m connected. I think there’s something else that will come up eventually that I’m excited for people to see.” Whether this means an appearance within “Welcome to Derry” Season 2 or a separate project remains unclear.
 

Why hasn’t HBO formally renewed “Welcome to Derry” yet?

Given the show’s extraordinary ratings — ranking among the top-three HBO Max series debuts of all time — many fans have found the absence of an official renewal announcement baffling. HBO CEO Casey Bloys addressed this directly, offering two key reasons:

• No source material to adapt: Unlike “The Last of Us” (based on a video game) or “House of the Dragon” (based on George RR Martin’s “Fire & Blood”), “Welcome to Derry” Season 2 has no direct novel to draw from. The writers must construct the 1935 story from scratch using King’s “IT” lore as a foundation.
• HBO waits for the story first: Bloys has indicated that HBO’s policy is to greenlight once the creative team lands on a story they’re genuinely excited about — not simply to renew based on ratings. This reflects a quality-first philosophy, even if it frustrates fans in the short term.
• Showrunner situation: Reports suggest the original Season 2 showrunner arrangement has been restructured, with Brad Caleb Kane returning to lead the second season’s development, which may have partially reset the creative process.

Industry analysts and entertainment media tracking the show in March 2026 broadly expect an official announcement within the next couple of months, particularly following the Saturn Awards confirmation and the continued wave of positive press.

Frequently asked questions about “Welcome to Derry” Season 2

Q: Has HBO officially renewed “IT: Welcome to Derry” Season 2?

A: Not with a formal greenlight, but it is as close to confirmed as possible without an official announcement. Co-creator Andy Muschietti confirmed at the 2026 Saturn Awards (March 8, 2026) that Season 2 is in the works. HBO CEO Casey Bloys has also said he is fully on board and would “happily” renew the show.

Q: When is the “IT: Welcome to Derry” Season 2 release date?

A: No official date has been announced. Based on production timelines, the earliest realistic filming start is late 2026. A release date of late 2027 or early 2028 is the most widely projected estimate among entertainment outlets, though delays could push this to 2028.

Q: What year is Season 2 of “Welcome to Derry” set in?

A: Season 2 is expected to be set in 1935 — exactly 27 years before Season 1’s 1962 setting, in keeping with Pennywise’s 27-year feeding cycle. The central storyline is expected to involve the Bradley Gang Massacre, a key event referenced in Stephen King’s novel.

Q: Will Bill Skarsgård return as Pennywise in Season 2?

A: Yes. Bill Skarsgård is the only cast member confirmed to return for Season 2. Since Pennywise is an ageless supernatural entity, he will appear across all eras of the series. Skarsgård also serves as an executive producer on the show.

Q: How many seasons will “IT: Welcome to Derry” have?

A: The creators have a three-season plan: Season 1 (1962), Season 2 (1935), and Season 3 (1908). Each season moves 27 years back in time, exploring a different awakening of Pennywise. Whether HBO greenlights all three depends on the continued success of the show.

Q: Is there a trailer for “Welcome to Derry” Season 2?

A: No. As of March 2026, no trailer exists. A trailer would typically follow an official renewal announcement and the conclusion of early production. Fans should expect a trailer no earlier than mid-to-late 2027.

Q: Did “Welcome to Derry” win any awards?

A: Yes. “IT: Welcome to Derry” won the Saturn Award for Best Horror Television Series at the 53rd Annual Saturn Awards on March 8, 2026. It also received Saturn nominations for Best Guest Starring Role in Television and Best Young Performer in a Television Series.

The bottom line

“IT: Welcome to Derry” Season 2 is not a question of if — it’s a question of when. The show is in active development, the creators have a concrete plan, HBO leadership is fully behind it, and the Saturn Awards win has added even more momentum.

Season 2 will take audiences back to Depression-era Derry in 1935, centring on the Bradley Gang Massacre, with Bill Skarsgård reprising his role as Pennywise.

Expect an official HBO renewal announcement in the coming months, with a release date projected for late 2027 or early 2028.