Warning: There are spoilers ahead for IT: Welcome to Derry episodes 1 & 2.The IT: Welcome to Derry episode 3 trailer reveals a massive connection to one of Stephen King’s favorite adaptations of his work. Season 1 of the prequel series explores Derry 27 years before the events of the first IT movie.
Beyond the many connections to the IT films and original novels, Welcome to Derry features Dick Halloran (Chris Chalk), a character known from The Shiningand an abundance of Stephen King Easter eggs.
Now, the episode 3 trailer reveals that after being arrested, an imprisoned Hank Grogan (Stephen Rider) is asked, “Do you know what they do to kiddy-killers in Shawshank?” This is a reference to the titular location of King’s 1982 novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemptionwhich was later adapted into a critically acclaimed movie.
With Hank being set up to take the fall for the deaths at the end of Welcome to Derry episode 1, Lilly Bainbridge (Clara Stack) wants to help Ronnie Grogan (Amanda Christine) prove her father’s innocence, and they turn to Will Hanlon (Blake Cameron James) and his scientific expertise for help.
Meanwhile, Halloran is taken into the air to help locate the weapon that the military is seeking, but he is haunted by visions of a carnival barker saying, “Step right up,” which becomes an increasingly ominous refrain used throughout the trailer. The footage ends with Halloran seemingly encountering the glowing eyes of Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård). Check out the trailer below:
While he infamously dislikes Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining1994’s The Shawshank Redemption is one of Stephen King’s favorite adaptations of his work. This makes it all the more notable for Shawshank State Prison to be referenced in Welcome to Derryespecially with King’s open support of the series, but the iconic location has also been mentioned and appeared in other stories set within King’s universe.
This includes Shawshank references in the original IT novels, 11/22/63and Bag of Bones. Shawshank also plays an important role in Castle Rocka television series inspired by King’s work, although it is not a direct adaptation of his novels, short stories, or short stories.
How prominent of a role Shawshank plays in Welcome to Derry remains to be seen, but the mere mention of it is exciting for King fans. Hank’s fate and potentially facing a long sentence in Shawshank will be an important part of episode 3, but the next installment also looks to bring the most focus yet to Halloran and his shining abilities.
The tease at the end of the trailer also hints that episode 3 could feature the prequel’s first look at Pennywise in the clown form that audiences are most familiar with. Between Shawshank, Halloran, Pennywise, and Mike Hanlon’s father Will taking on a bigger role, IT: Welcome to Derry‘s next episode is set to continue rewarding longtime King fans.
IT: Welcome to Derry episode 3 releases on Sunday, November 9 at 9pm ET/6pm PT on HBO Max.
- Release Date
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October 26, 2025
- NETWORKS
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HBO
- Directors
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Andy Muschietti
- Franchise(s)
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IT
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