WB Reviving a Cancelled Stephen King Movie Is More Likely After IT: Welcome to Derry Star’s Update

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Following the release of Welcome to Derry, there’s renewed hope for more Stephen King prequel projects. While the HBO series stood on its own, it cleverly linked back to the original IT story. Surprising connections, like Marge Truman being Richie Tozier’s mother and Beverly Marsh’s return with Sophia Lillis, significantly altered our understanding of the IT films. Although a second season hasn’t been officially confirmed, it’s anticipated to move the story to 1935, and there could be even more related projects in the future.

Before the planned Welcome to Derry series, Warner Bros. was developing a standalone film about Dick Hallorann, the character also featured in Doctor Sleep (directed by Mike Flanagan). This movie would have shown Hallorann’s younger years, including how he ended up at the Overlook Hotel and an early meeting with Pennywise – the same events intended for Welcome to Derry. However, the project was canceled due to Doctor Sleep‘s disappointing box office results. Now, with the popularity of the IT TV series and positive reception to Chris Chalk’s portrayal of Hallorann, another attempt at a solo project isn’t out of the question. Chalk recently told TV Insider that he’s open to revisiting the character and potentially returning to Derry in some capacity.

I’ve proposed the idea! I also explained that Dick is incredibly powerful now that he’s linked to the universe, so there’s no reason to cut that connection.

Should A Dick Hallorann Solo Project Happen?

The ending of IT: Welcome to Derry shows Dick leaving his hometown for London to begin a career as a hotel chef. This directly connects to the beginning of The Shining, though there’s a significant time gap between the two stories, allowing for a natural progression to the Overlook Hotel. While referencing his future career felt a bit obvious, the creators wanted to have some fun with it after resolving the Pennywise threat, and also hinted at their interest in exploring more stories featuring the character Hallorann.

I think it’s important not to break the fourth wall, but now that the serious part of the story is done, we can just enjoy ourselves. It seems Chris Chalk really wanted to explore what happens to his character, Dick, beyond the current storyline. For me, that desire felt similar to Dick’s own journey into the unknown. I have the benefit of knowing where Dick will end up in the future, and I’m curious about how he gets there – what steps he takes to become calmer and more in control of his abilities, compared to who he is now. Even though the show is ending, Dick isn’t healed; he’s just had a breakdown, so I expect he’s still going to be struggling for a long time.

Stephen Chalk seems keen to return to the character of Dick Hallorann, possibly through a time travel element in a potential Welcome to Derry story, or a separate project focused on him. Warner Bros. (WB) also appears interested, having previously considered both a Flanagan film and a series based on the Overlook Hotel—neither of which happened. However, if Derry is successful, and Chalk delivers a strong performance, the two could collaborate to create a new story following Hallorann after his experiences with Pennywise, and exploring his future.

Whether focusing a story on Dick would actually work is debatable, but it really depends on the specific plot. He’s a compelling character, although we’ve only seen him as a supporting player so far, never the main focus. However, his unique powers, combined with his complicated history and potential future, offer a lot of storytelling possibilities if handled correctly. Plus, it would be great to see more of Chalk’s character as well.

All episodes of IT: Welcome to Derry Season 1 are streaming on HBO Max.

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2025-12-18 18:20