“SMILE FOR THE FIRING SQUAD.” THE BRADLEY GANG MASSACRE IS FINALLY HERE! 🤡🔫

Derry, Maine has a secret buried in its soil, and it’s riddled with bullet holes. HBO just dropped the Season 2 teaser for IT: Welcome to Derry, and we are officially heading back to the Great Depression for the bloodiest chapter in Pennywise’s history! 🎈💀

The Bradley Gang thought they could hide in Derry. They were wrong. The “First Look” shows a town that has gone absolutely feral—when the citizens of Derry pick up their guns, they don’t stop until the streets are red. But look closely at the crowd… did you see the man in the farmer’s overalls with the painted white face? 🌾🤡

Is Pennywise pulling the triggers, or is he just enjoying the show? The 1935 cycle is about to begin, and it’s going to be “even greater” (and more terrifying) than the first. Grab your balloons—the massacre starts now! 👇

Following the critical acclaim and Saturn Award-winning success of its debut season, HBO’s IT: Welcome to Derry is officially diving deeper into the blood-soaked history of Derry, Maine. A new teaser trailer released this week confirms that Season 2 will transport audiences back to 1935, focusing on one of the most infamous interludes from Stephen King’s novel: The Bradley Gang Massacre.

A Violent Return to 1935

While Season 1 focused on the 1962 cycle and the Hanlon family’s arrival, Season 2—confirmed by co-creator Andy Muschietti at the Saturn Awards on March 8, 2026—will be a prequel to the prequel. The teaser titled “The Bradley Gang” showcases a gritty, Depression-era Derry, plagued by economic ruin and an encroaching sense of communal madness.

The Bradley Gang, a group of notorious bank robbers led by the ruthless Al and George Bradley, are seen arriving in Derry to purchase ammunition. However, the teaser quickly shifts from a crime drama to a horror epic as the townspeople of Derry—influenced by the awakening entity—ambush the gang in a hail of gunfire.

The Clown in the Crowd

The most talked-about frame of the teaser features a blink-and-you-miss-it appearance of Bill Skarsgård’s Pennywise. Unlike the flamboyant circus attire seen in the 1960s and 1980s, this version of the entity appears in a more “period-accurate” costume, resembling a comically dressed farmer, mirroring the eyewitness accounts from the original novel.

“Pennywise thrives on communal violence,” Muschietti explained in a recent interview with Variety. “The Bradley Gang Massacre is the perfect example of how the entity doesn’t just kill children—it corrupts the adults and turns the entire town into a weapon.”

Expanding the Lore: Ingrid Kersh and the “D” Lineage

The teaser also hints at the return of Ingrid Kersh, the daughter of Bob Gray (the human alias used by Pennywise). Given her presence at the Juniper Hill asylum in the 1930s as established in Season 1, her role is expected to be a major bridge between the timelines.

Furthermore, production insiders have teased the introduction of younger versions of the Season 1 cast, including a look at the ancestors of the Hanlon and Bowers families. This non-linear storytelling approach aims to show how the “curse” of Derry is passed down through generations, long before the Losers Club ever formed.

Production Status and 2027 Projections

While the teaser has ignited the fandom, the wait for the full season will be considerable. HBO Max boss Casey Bloys recently stated that while the network is “100% on board,” the series is in the early stages of production. Filming is expected to begin in late 2026, with a projected release window of late 2027 or early 2028.

The delay is largely due to the heavy VFX required to recreate 1930s Maine and the elaborate practical effects for which the Muschiettis are known. “We are building the town of Derry from the ground up to reflect the Great Depression,” a set designer shared on Instagram. “It has to feel hollowed out, desperate, and ready to explode.”

Community Hype: “The Greatest Interlude”

On the r/WelcomeToDerry subreddit, fans are already dissecting the “Interrogation” style of the teaser, suggesting the season might be framed around Norbert Keene (the pharmacist) recounting the massacre to a younger Mike Hanlon or a military investigator.

“The Bradley Gang is the most violent thing King ever wrote for Derry,” one top commenter noted. “If HBO does this right, it’s going to make the 2017 movie look like a playground.”

As the red balloon drifts over the bullet-riddled sedan of the Bradley Gang, one thing is certain: in Derry, the past is never truly buried.