The world of IT: Welcome to Derry is set to expand even further, and HBO’s horror series appears ready to radically shift its tone in the upcoming seasons. After the success of the first chapter set in the 1960s, the next installments will take the story much further back in time, exploring a version of Derry shaped by poverty, violence, and the devastating effects of the Great Depression.
According to comments shared by co-creator Andy Muschietti, who developed the series alongside Barbara Muschietti, the second season will be set in 1935 and will focus on one of the darkest events briefly mentioned in Stephen King’s original novel: the story of the Bradley Gang. In the new episodes, the group of bank robbers will reportedly arrive in Derry during their escape, only to become entangled in a violent event connected to the presence of Pennywise.
New themes for the future of the series
During recent interviews, Andy Muschietti explained that the first season primarily explored the manipulation of fear. Future seasons, however, are expected to introduce themes connected to faith and love, while still maintaining the horror tone that defines the franchise. At the same time, the series will reportedly lean even further into the political and symbolic layers hidden beneath Derry’s mythology.
Unlike the first season, which relied heavily on the suburban coming-of-age atmosphere associated with the 1960s, the next chapter will portray a city devastated by economic collapse and social desperation. Muschietti noted that this setting will make the story considerably darker and harsher, moving away from the classic image of kids riding bicycles through quiet neighborhoods.
Stephen King will also continue to play a major role in the development of the HBO project. According to the creative team, the author has remained closely involved with the material and has been actively following the evolution of the new storylines introduced for the series.
The future of Welcome to Derry
The show was originally conceived as a three-season story. Following the 1962 setting of season one and the 1935 backdrop of season two, a possible third season could move even further into the past, reaching 1908 and focusing on the Kitchener Ironworks explosion, one of the most tragic events ever referenced in King’s novel.
Although HBO has not officially confirmed the renewal yet, development on the new season is still moving forward. In recent months, reports suggested that the creative team had already started working on new story arcs designed to expand the mythology beyond the material directly covered in the original book.
That creative freedom may become one of the most delicate aspects of the project moving forward. The series will need to introduce entirely new narratives while remaining faithful to the unsettling universe imagined by Stephen King.
Photo Credits: Anton Kotlovskii su Unsplash
