Is It: Welcome to Derry secretly a prequel to The Shining?

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The new series ‘Welcome to Derry‘ will delve into the backstory of Pennywise the Clown (Bill Skarsgård), starting in the 1960s. Some fans speculate it might actually be a hidden prequel to the film ‘The Shining’.

This horror series is set in 1962, decades before the events of the recent *IT* movies (*IT* from 2017 and *IT: Chapter Two* from 2019). It will explore the violent past of Derry, Maine, revealing the origins of the evil entity known as It/Pennywise and how it influenced the town and its people.

I just saw the new trailer for the HBO series and everyone’s going wild with theories that it’s going to include some of the really scary parts from Stephen King’s book. If the show does well and gets more seasons, they’re planning on going back in time another 27 years with ‘It: Welcome to Derry’ to show us even more of Pennywise’s past appearances.

Stephen King’s ‘It: Welcome to Derry’ is connected to his wider fictional world, including nods to his other works. Interestingly, some believe it could actually serve as a backstory to his famous novel, ‘The Shining’.

It: Welcome to Derry focuses on a key character from The Shining

Fans are eagerly anticipating the return of Pennywise and the terrifying experiences he’ll bring to a new generation of kids, but the story will also prominently feature a character from The Shining named Dick Hallorann.

Fans of horror movies will likely recall Dick Hallorann, the telepathic chef from both Stanley Kubrick’s *The Shining* (played by Scatman Crothers) and the sequel *Doctor Sleep* (played by Carl Lumbly). Like the young Danny Torrance, Hallorann possessed psychic abilities and worked at the Overlook Hotel.

In the upcoming series *IT: Welcome to Derry*, Chris Chalk will portray a younger version of the character Hallorann. Hallorann established the Black Spot, a bar frequented by Black soldiers stationed at a local airbase, and witnessed its destruction at the hands of a racist group.

According to actor Chalk, his character, Dick Hallorann, won’t die in the show because he needs to reach the Overlook Hotel. We’ve already seen Hallorann as an older man, with his psychic abilities under control, but this version of the character is a mystery. Chalk had to build the character from the ground up, based on the script.

The new series will explore Hallorann’s telepathic powers and the burden they create for him. According to Chalk, Hallorann is now a man driven by his own needs, willing to do anything to get what he wants. He’s become detached and doesn’t show much concern for others, even children.

The historical context is already incredibly difficult for Black people, and adding a character who can read minds and witness awful events just intensifies that hardship. He essentially isolates himself as a result.

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2025-10-16 19:19