HBO’s It: Welcome to Derry Season 2 will delve into the Bradley Gang storyline, set in 1935, as confirmed by creator Andy Muschietti. The season draws from a lesser-known subplot in Stephen King’s 1986 novel, inspired by a real-life Maine crime.

Bradley Gang Storyline Confirmed

During a recent TV panel, Muschietti teased a fresh era for the prequel series, confirming that the next chapter will center on the Bradley Gang, a group of bank robbers whose fate takes a dark turn in Derry. “It’s 1935, we’re now working on it, and it’s so much fun,” Muschietti stated. “For the ones of you who read the books, probably the Bradley Gang sounds familiar.”

Inspired by Real Events

The Bradley Gang was based on the Brady Gang, a real-life group of robbers who were executed in Bangor, Maine. Muschietti explained that the season’s central event will be the massacre of the Bradley Gang, a pivotal moment that will reshape the narrative. He noted the gang was “on their way somewhere, and they stopped in Derry to buy some ammo and something horrible happens.”

Potential Third Season and Tone Shift

Muschietti also outlined plans extending into a potential third season, hinting at another major event: the explosion of the Kitchener Iron Works during an Easter egg hunt, where a hundred children lost their lives.

The Depression-era setting significantly reshapes the show’s tone, emphasizing survival and poverty in Derry. “It’s fascinating because the thing that is so much fun in this stage of development is that we’re facing an era which is the Depression Era that changes dramatically the setup of things,” Muschietti stated. The 1935 backdrop introduces a grittier atmosphere, emphasizing the harsh realities of the time.

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