IT: Welcome to Derry expands Stephen King’s horror world by bringing a younger Dick Hallorann to the forefront. While his appearance sparks immediate connections to The Shining, the series’ creators confirm a deeper, more direct link to a different King story. The character’s journey in the prequel is specifically shaped by the lore established in King’s 2013 sequel novel, Doctor Sleep.
Showrunner Jason Fuchs explained that while fans noticed references to The Shining, the 2013 sequel “played a much more important role in shaping the overall story of Dick Hallorann” in the HBO series. This inspiration is key to understanding the younger, more troubled Hallorann portrayed by Chris Chalk.
The pivotal link is a psychological technique known as the “lockbox.” In Doctor Sleep, the novel reveals that Dick Hallorann’s grandmother taught him to lock traumatic memories and psychic visions away in mental boxes. This method is later passed on to Danny Torrance to help him contain the ghosts of the Overlook Hotel.
IT: Welcome to Derry directly adapts this concept. In Episode 5, the entity It invades Hallorann’s mind, forcing him to open one of these metaphysical lockboxes. The act unleashes the horrors he had sealed away, leaving him tortured by visions for the rest of the season. Jason Fuchs pointed to a specific scene as a direct reference:
“When Dick Hallorann is in the sewers in episode 5… he steps into the sewers and goes into a seemingly infinite pool. When he comes up to the top, he’s in the bathtub with his adopted grandmother and grandfather. That’s a direct reference to events in ‘Doctor Sleep.’”
This moment explores Hallorann’s deep backstory, establishing “why and how he has repressed his power,” with the notion of “shutting it off in a box of your mind” being directly inspired by King’s sequel.
This prequel presents a version of Hallorann far removed from the wise, settled mentor seen in The Shining. Set in 1962, the show depicts him as a reluctant psychic working for the U.S. military at the Derry Air Force Base.
Chris Chalk described his interpretation as a man in conflict: “He’s a mess. He’s a bit of a shit show… I think this version of Dick is on the way there, but nowhere close”. The series explores his internal battle, questioning whether his psychic abilities are a gift or a curse.
Executive producer Andy Muschietti emphasized that this was a chance to develop the character’s earlier life, revealing a less ethical past. The creative team built a backstory where Hallorann used his “shine” to cheat at poker before being caught and recruited by the military.
IT: Welcome to Derry is designed as a prequel, with its first season set 27 years before the events of the 2017 It film. The series draws its core narrative from the “interludes” in King’s original It novel—chapters where Mike Hanlon researches Derry’s tragic history. These include events like the fire at the Black Spot nightclub, where Hallorann worked as a cook in the book.
The series actively connects to Stephen King‘s broader fictional universe. Beyond Hallorann, the show features locations like Juniper Hill Asylum and Shawshank State Prison, and includes visual Easter eggs such as Calumet Baking Powder cans, famously spotted in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining film.
Hallorann’s role is crucial to the season’s new storyline involving a secret military program called Project Arrowhead. General Shaw, played by James Remar, seeks to weaponize the fear generated by the entity It. Hallorann’s psychic abilities make him a key tool in this dangerous operation.
Throughout the season, Hallorann grapples with the moral weight of using his powers for the military’s goals. In one episode, he is forced to psychically invade the mind of an Indigenous man to gather information, creating a complex racial dynamic described by Chalk as “this black dude is fucking [over] this indigenous dude in order to make a white dude happy”.
His journey culminates in the season finale. After being menaced by the ghosts released from his lockbox, Hallorann ultimately uses his powers to help defeat It. Having confronted his internal demons, he leaves Derry with a newfound acceptance of his abilities, quipping about his next career move: “How much trouble can a hotel be?” This line, of course, foreshadows his future at the Overlook Hotel.
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The creators have expressed interest in further exploring Hallorann’s story. Jason Fuchs even suggested the potential for a Dick Hallorann spin-off series that would follow his adventures after Derry.
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