π Share this article Make Time For One Legendary Stephen King Film Prior to the Series' Upcoming Installment The series Welcome to Derry is packed with connections to Stephen King's extensive collection of tales. Beyond the clear ties to It, the show also features an explicit connection to The Shining via the cameo 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 which merits another look. The Haunting Tale of The Shawshank Redemption Although Shawshank Redemption may not be classified as a horror film, especially in contrast with much of the author's additional writing, it is a gripping story about an innocently imprisoned individual sentenced to live his remaining years in a notorious prison. It is that very penitentiary that becomes important here, as Shawshank State Prison holds considerable history throughout King's stories β a tradition which persists within Welcome to Derry. Some of the stories which mention the prison include Dolores Claiborne, Needful Things, Apt Pupil, 11/22/63, and It. Via these stories, we discover about the terrible conditions inside the state penitentiary plus some of the inmates within, such as the partner of a belonging to Pennywise's initial victims, who was found guilty of armed robbery. Thus far, though, the majority we have discovered about the prison has been through the perspective of the protagonist in The Shawshank Redemption, portrayed by Tim Robbins in the 1994 film. Andy winds up in Shawshank following being wrongly convicted, then finds himself assaulted and raped by fellow inmates, and exploited by the officials in power due to his expertise in finance. He requires nearly three decades to tunnel an escape route of the prison, prior to making his way "through sewage" to reclaim his liberty. The Prison's Role in Welcome to Derry Regarding the series, audiences first learned about the prison's involvement via an initial preview for the show, in which a prison bus appeared with the name painted on the side. During the second episode, it is revealed which character is probably destined for Shawshank. Though it is known he was not commit the murders of children in the first episode, Hank Grogan (Stephen Rider), father of Ronnie (Amanda Christine), is arrested for those offenses. The preview for the next episode, "the upcoming installment," shows a guard telling a jailed Hank, "Do you know what they do to kiddie killers in Shawshank?" The Implications for Hank and Ronnie Considering that the real killer in the town is an ancient power originating elsewhere preying on and murdering children, Hank's chances of proving his innocence do not look good. And even if he ends up to Shawshank and the audience do not see him there, understanding what is known about that prison indicates that his time there would be far from enjoyable. Crucially, though, this development could threaten Ronnie. Hank is her protector. Terrible events are happening around Derry that nobody, young or old, comprehends and she just has her new group of friends to rely on. She's going to need her father in the coming episodes, but if Shawshank plays a role, she could be without help. One thing seems clear: Hank lacks three decades to tunnel his way out. It: Welcome to Derry the first two episodes are streaming now on HBO Max. Additional installments air weekly on Sundays.