The first season finale of Welcome to Derry doesn’t just link to the IT movies – it directly leads into the story of The Shining. This was somewhat anticipated, as Chris Chalk’s character, Dick Hallorann, played a significant role throughout the season. His special ability, ‘the shine,’ was central to the attempts to locate, potentially control, and finally overcome Pennywise. This is a much larger role for Hallorann than in Stephen King’s original IT novel, where he only appears in the story about burning The Black Spot, and the finale expands on that even more. Spoiler alert: The following contains spoilers for Season 1, Episode 8 of Welcome to Derry.
Near the end of the first season of IT: Welcome to Derry, Dick has a direct confrontation with Pennywise, attempting to trap the creature, but he’s ultimately outmatched. Although Pennywise is defeated and forced back into a 27-year slumber within Derry’s limits, Hallorann decides he’s had enough and leaves town. He explains he’s going to London to work as a chef in a new hotel restaurant owned by a friend – a job that will eventually lead him to the Overlook Hotel and the events of The Shining.
Where The Shining Is Set & How Long After Welcome To Derry It Takes Place
Some viewers might think Dick is on his way to the hotel from The Shining, but he still has a long journey ahead. The Overlook Hotel is located in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado – nearly 5,000 miles from London – meaning he’ll eventually end up back in the United States. Plus, there’s a significant time difference: the events of Welcome to Derry happen in 1962, while The Shining takes place in the late 1970s, giving Dick over 15 years to perfect his culinary talents.
Even though it takes place earlier in the timeline, Welcome to Derry significantly deepens our understanding of Dick Hallorann and how we see his story in The Shining. The series expands on his already troubled past and shows him developing his psychic abilities even further. Because the show gives him a central role and the extended format allows for more detailed character development, it feels like a natural continuation of his journey, seamlessly leading into The Shining and eventually Doctor Sleep.
There’s a chance we might learn more about what happened in Dick Hallorann’s life between the events of Welcome to Derry and The Shining. Mike Flanagan once proposed a movie focusing on Hallorann’s youth, including a past encounter with Pennywise and the experiences that ultimately brought him to the Overlook Hotel. Though that project didn’t move forward, the idea has been considered before. Given the success of Welcome to Derry and the actor’s strong performance as Chalk, it wouldn’t be surprising if they explored this backstory further, showing what happens with Hallorann next and then connecting it directly to the beginning of The Shining. It makes you wonder, just how much trouble could a hotel possibly be?
All episodes of IT: Welcome to Derry Season 1 are available to stream on HBO Max.
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2025-12-17 01:42