🔗 Share this article Make Time For One Iconic Stephen King Cinematic Prior to It: Welcome to Derry's Next Episode The series Welcome to Derry is packed with references to the author's vast library of stories. Apart from the clear ties to It, the series showcases a direct connection to The Shining via the appearance of the youthful future chef of the Overlook Hotel. Now, as the narrative progresses, Welcome to Derry is weaving in another beloved tale from King that deserves another look. The Powerful Tale of The Shawshank Redemption Although Shawshank Redemption isn't typically considered a horror film, especially in contrast with a lot of the author's additional writing, it remains a haunting tale about an innocently imprisoned man sentenced to live the rest of his life in a infamous prison. It is this specific institution that becomes central here, as Shawshank State Prison possesses considerable history across King's stories — a tradition that continues in It: Welcome to Derry. Some of the stories that reference the prison include Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, as well as It. Via these narratives, we learn about the terrible life at Shawshank State Prison plus some of the inmates there, including the boyfriend of a belonging to Pennywise's initial targets, who was found guilty of armed robbery. So far, however, the majority we've learned concerning Shawshank was through the perspective of Andy Dufresne in Shawshank Redemption, played by the actor Tim Robbins in the 1994 film. The character Andy winds up in Shawshank after being wrongly convicted, then finds himself assaulted and raped by other prisoners, and exploited by those in officials in power for his financial knowledge. He requires nearly three decades to tunnel his way out from Shawshank, prior to making his way "through a river of shit" to reclaim his freedom. Shawshank's Appearance in Welcome to Derry Regarding It: Welcome to Derry, audiences initially discovered about the prison's inclusion from an initial preview for the show, in which a correctional transport appeared bearing the title displayed on its side. In episode 2, we learn which character is likely destined for the prison. Although we know he did not commit the murders of children in the first episode, the character Hank Grogan (Stephen Rider), dad to Ronnie (Amanda Christine), gets taken into custody for those offenses. A teaser for the next episode, "Now You See It," reveals an officer telling Hank in his cell, "Are you aware what they do to child murderers at that prison?" The Consequences for Hank and Ronnie Considering that the actual killer in the town is an ancient power from another world preying on and murdering children, Hank's chances of clearing his name do not look good. And even if he ends up in the prison and the audience do not see him inside, knowing what we do regarding Shawshank indicates that his time there would not be enjoyable. Crucially, however, this development could threaten Ronnie. He acts as her protector. Horrible things are occurring in the town which no one, young or old, comprehends and she only has her new group of friends to rely on. She's going to need her father as the story progresses, however should Shawshank plays a role, she may be without help. A single fact seems clear: Hank lacks three decades to tunnel to freedom. It: Welcome to Derry episodes 1 and 2 are streaming now on HBO Max. New episodes air weekly each Sunday.