🔗 Share this article You Should Watch One Legendary Stephen King Film Prior to the Series' Upcoming Installment HBO's Welcome to Derry is packed with connections to Stephen King's vast universe of narratives. Apart from the clear ties to the original story, the series showcases a direct link to King's famous novel via the cameo of the youthful future chef of the Overlook Hotel. Now, as the narrative unfolds, It: Welcome to Derry is integrating another beloved King story which merits another look. The Powerful Story of The Shawshank Redemption Although Shawshank Redemption isn't typically considered a horror film, especially in contrast with a lot of King's other work, it is a haunting story about an wrongfully convicted individual sentenced to live his remaining years in a infamous penitentiary. And it's this specific institution that becomes important in this context, since the Shawshank facility possesses considerable lore across King's fictional world — a tradition which persists within Welcome to Derry. Among the stories that reference Shawshank are Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, and It. Via these stories, we discover regarding the terrible life at Shawshank State Prison and several of the inmates there, including the partner of a of Pennywise's initial victims, who was convicted for robbery with a weapon. So far, however, the majority we've learned concerning Shawshank was via the perspective of the protagonist in Shawshank Redemption, portrayed by Tim Robbins in that 1994 movie. Andy ends up in Shawshank following his wrongful conviction, and finds himself beaten and raped by other prisoners, and taken advantage of by the officials in power due to his expertise in finance. It takes nearly three decades to tunnel his way out from Shawshank, prior to making his way "through a river of shit" to take back his liberty. The Prison's Role in It: Welcome to Derry Regarding It: Welcome to Derry, audiences initially discovered about the prison's involvement from an early trailer for the series, where a prison bus appeared bearing the title displayed on its side. During the second episode, it is revealed who is likely destined for Shawshank. Although it is known he was not responsible for the child deaths initially, Hank Grogan (played by Stephen Rider), dad to Ronnie (Amanda Christine), gets taken into custody for the crimes. A teaser for the next episode, "the upcoming installment," shows an officer informing Hank in his cell, "Are you aware what happens to child murderers in Shawshank?" The Consequences for the Character and Ronnie Given that the real killer in the town is a primordial entity originating elsewhere preying on and killing kids, Hank's prospects of clearing his name do not look good. And even if he does go to Shawshank and viewers don't follow him inside, knowing what we do about that prison indicates that his time there would not be pleasant. More importantly, though, this situation could threaten Ronnie. He acts as her guardian. Terrible events are happening in the town which no one, young or old, understands and Ronnie just has her recently formed circle of pals to rely on. She's going to need her dad in the coming episodes, however should the prison system has any say, she could be without help. A single fact seems clear: Hank lacks three decades to tunnel his way out. It: Welcome to Derry episodes 1 and 2 are streaming now via the streaming service. New episodes air weekly each Sunday.