Shreveport Makes A Surprise Appearance In HBO’s New Horror Series

If you're a horror fan in Shreveport, you were probably already glued to the screen for the latest Stephen King adaptation. If you were paying close attention to the latest episode of the new HBO series "It: Welcome to Derry", you might have felt a little jolt this week. Not from a jump scare, but from a name-drop.

It's not every day that a major Hollywood production mentions Shreveport, so when it happens, we notice. Which is exactly what "It: Welcome to Derry" did in their latest episode. You might be used to seeing Louisiana on screen thanks to all the filming in the state, but getting a direct reference in the dialogue is still something special that perks up ears around here.

What Is The Show IT: Welcome To Derry?

For those who haven't jumped on the bandwagon yet, "It: Welcome to Derry" is the prequel series to the massive blockbuster "It" movies from a few years ago (not the Tim Curry one). The show takes us back to 1962 to show us Pennywise the Clown in a different era. It centers around the history of the cursed town Derry, Maine.

This story (like all of the "It" stories) follows a group of kids, and their families, as they deal with the terrifying events that happen in the town every 27 years. It sets the stage for the Losers' Club story we all know and love, but gives us a look at the cycle of violence that came before it.

How Shreveport Fits Into The Story

In the show, we are introduced to the Hanlon family, who have just moved to Derry, Maine to work at the nearby Air Force base. During some tense moments between Leroy Hanlon and his wife Charlotte, it's revealed that the family moved to Maine from Shreveport, Louisiana.

READ MORE: The 13 Biggest Box Office Movies Filmed In Shreveport

The show implies that Charlotte was heavily involved in the Civil Rights Movement while living in Shreveport, which led to some trouble that forced the family to relocate. It's a cool nod to the real history of Shreveport in that time period, and it adds a layer of tension to their new life in Maine.

Differences Between The Book And The Show

If you're a Stephen King purist, you might be scratching your head because Charlotte Hanlon isn't in the original novel. In the book, Mike Hanlon's parents are named Will and Jessica...but the show has shifted the timeline already, so we are actually following Mike's grandparents, Leroy and Charlotte.

This change allows the showrunners to explore new stories, while keeping the DNA of the Hanlon family that King created. It gives us a fresh look at the horror without messing up the continuity of the books or the movies we've already seen.

Where You Can Watch IT: Welcome To Derry

If you want to catch any future Shreveport references for yourself, you'll need a subscription to HBO or Max. The show airs on the HBO cable channel and streams simultaneously on the Max app.

New episodes drop on Sunday nights, so you have plenty of time to catch up before the season finale. It's definitely worth a watch to see how our city plays a part in the backstory of one of the scariest monsters in movie history.