Don't Miss One Legendary Stephen King Film Before It: Welcome to Derry's Upcoming Installment
HBO's It: Welcome to Derry is packed with connections to the author's wide-ranging collection of tales. Beyond the obvious links to It, the series includes an explicit connection to King's famous novel via the appearance of a young Dick Hallorann. Now, as the narrative unfolds, Welcome to Derry is integrating another beloved tale from King which merits a revisit.
The Powerful Story of The Shawshank Redemption
Although Shawshank Redemption may not be considered a horror film, particularly in contrast with a lot of King's other work, it is a gripping tale about an innocently imprisoned man sentenced to live the rest of his life in a notorious prison. It is this specific penitentiary which is important in this context, as the Shawshank facility holds significant lore across King's fictional world — a pattern that continues in Welcome to Derry.
Among the stories that reference Shawshank include Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, as well as It. Through these narratives, we discover regarding the terrible life at the state penitentiary and several of the inmates within, including the boyfriend of a of Pennywise's early targets, who was convicted for robbery with a weapon.
Thus far, though, the most we have discovered concerning Shawshank has been via the perspective of the protagonist from The Shawshank Redemption, played by the actor Tim Robbins in that 1994 movie. Andy winds up at the prison following being wrongly convicted, and finds himself beaten and raped by other prisoners, and exploited by the authority figures due to his financial knowledge. It takes him 28 years to tunnel an escape route from Shawshank, before making his way "through sewage" to take back his freedom.
The Prison's Role in Welcome to Derry
In relation to It: Welcome to Derry, audiences first learned of Shawshank's inclusion from an initial preview for the show, where a correctional transport was seen bearing the title painted on the side. During the second episode, we learn who is probably headed to Shawshank.
Although we know he was not commit the child deaths initially, the character Hank Grogan (played by Stephen Rider), dad to Ronnie (Amanda Christine), is arrested for those offenses. A teaser for the next episode, "the upcoming installment," reveals an officer telling a jailed Hank, "Do you know what they do to kiddie killers in Shawshank?"
The Implications for the Character and His Daughter
Given that the real killer in Derry is a primordial entity originating elsewhere preying on and murdering kids, Hank's chances of clearing his name appear slim. And even if he ends up in the prison and viewers don't follow him inside, understanding what we do about that prison makes it clear that his experience would not be pleasant.
More importantly, however, this situation could threaten his daughter. He acts as her protector. Terrible events are occurring in the town that nobody, child or adult, understands and Ronnie just has her recently formed of friends to depend on. She will require her dad in the coming episodes, but if Shawshank has any say, she may be out of luck.
One thing seems clear: Hank doesn’t have three decades to dig to freedom.
Welcome to Derry the first two episodes are currently available on HBO Max. Additional installments air weekly each Sunday.
