A fan-favorite ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’ character could be getting a spinoff and we’re all here for it
Following the haunting conclusion of 'IT: Welcome to Derry' Season 1, Chris Chalk is openly fueling speculation about a potential spinoff centered on his version of Dick Hallorann. And he's not just entertaining the idea, he's actively pushing for it. Chalk portrays a younger incarnation of Dick Hallorann in HBO's 'IT' prequel series. The character was famously introduced in Stephen King's 'The Shining' and immortalized on screen decades ago. The season 1 finale quietly but deliberately aligns 'Welcome to Derry' with the events that eventually lead to the Overlook Hotel, laying the story's groundwork.
In the final moments of the season, Dick reveals plans to leave Derry and take a job as a cook at a hotel in London. It marks an important step on Dick's path toward Colorado and, ultimately, the Overlook Hotel, where his life will intersect with the Torrance family. That connective tissue, combined with widespread praise for Chalk's performance, has sparked growing demand online for a standalone series exploring Dick's life in the years leading up to 'The Shining'. Chalk himself has made it clear that he's more than ready to continue the journey.
In an interview with TV Insider, the actor confirmed, "I've pitched it! I have also said, 'Hey, Dick can kind of do anything. Now that he's connected to the universe, there's no need to disconnect him.'" Beyond enthusiasm, Chalk also offered thoughtful insight into why Dick's story is far from complete. "You never want to wink at an audience, but the drama's over. Let's just have a little fun. And also, it's like Chris Chalk's own desire to see Dick manifest in his own show or something. So for me, it felt as aspirational as it did for Dick to go off into this unknown," he explained.
Chalk added, "But I'm lucky because I know in 20 or 30 years where he's going to be, and I'm like, 'Oh boy. What did he do to get there? What was the process to become this kind of more docile master of the Shine versus Dick now?' Because even once the show's over, he's by no means fixed. He's just broke. He just broke five minutes ago, so I predict that Dick is not well at all still." From a storytelling standpoint, the opportunity is wide open. Dick's decision to protect the younger characters in 'Welcome to Derry' establishes the moral compass that later drives him to help Danny Torrance.
Yet many pieces of his identity remain unresolved. His relationship with his abilities, the toll they take on his mental health, and whether the Maturin root truly healed him are all lingering questions. There are also practical reasons a spinoff makes sense, as per ScreenRant. 'IT: Welcome to Derry' Season 2 has not yet been officially renewed, and if it does move forward, it is expected to jump back 27 years to 1935. That timeline shift would almost certainly remove Dick from the plot, making a separate series the most viable way to continue his arc with Chalk still in the role.
