Castle Rock's Best Stephen King Easter Eggs And References So Far
GameSpot may receive revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and from purchases through links.
After the first trailer for Castle Rock, Hulu's new series inspired by the works of Stephen King, it was clear this show would be packed with Easter eggs and references to novels from the iconic writer--and the films they were adapted into. Now that the first three episodes have been released, though, fans of the author are facing a serious challenge when it comes to decoding every little nod.
Whether it's monologues that reference everything from Stand By Me to Cujo or an opening credits sequence that features pages from a number of King's books, there's plenty to uncover when watching Castle Rock over and over again. Within the show itself, though, there are a number of visual cues that act as clever references.
Thus far, we've had the opportunity to watch the first three episodes of the series and have compiled some of the very best Easter eggs and references to Stephen King's works. Some of them are more obvious than others--Shawshank State Prison plays a huge role in the series--but all are incredibly important in setting the creepy tone for the series.
What Easter eggs and references did you notice while watching Castle Rock? Sound off in the comments with your favorite moments and come back as new episodes air and we update this gallery!
Episode 1: Sheriff Alan Pangborn
Origin: The Dark Half
Sheriff Alan Pangborn (Scott Glenn) is a character referenced in several of King's works as the sheriff of Castle Rock. He was most notably played by Westworld star Ed Harris in 1993's adaptation of Needful Things.
Episode 1: Shawshank State Prison
Origin: The Shawshank Redemption
Anyone who saw a Castle Rock trailer knew this prison would play a major role in the series. Still, that first hint of what's to come, from the sticker on the back of the outgoing warden's car, set a haunting precedent for what Shawshank is in this show. Shawshank's inclusion also includes the prison's sordid history.
Episode 1: Bill Skarsgard
Origin: It
Though he's playing The Kid in Castle Rock, this is not Skarsgard's first visit to the world of Stephen King. He also plays Pennywise in the big screen adaptation of It--along with the sequel, which is currently in production. In King's universe, Derry is fairly close to Castle Rock, so chances are we will see more nods to It.
Episode 1: Warden Norton
Origin: The Shawshank Redemption
As the new warden is being given a tour of the grounds, it's pointed out where Warden Norton killed himself in his office, an event described in both the novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption and its film adaptation.
Episode 1: Sissy Spacek
Origin: Carrie
Much like Skarsgard appearing as The Kid, Spacek's casting brings her back to the world of Stephen King. The actress played the role of Carrie White in 1973's Carrie, perhaps King's best-known work. In this, she plays Ruth Deaver, adopted mother of Henry (Andre Holland).
Episode 2: Jackie Torrance
Origin: The Shining
When the character played by Jane Levy was introduced as Jackie Torrance, chances are your ears perked up. After all, the haunting of Jack Torrance is what drove The Shining. Thus far, it's unclear if Jackie is actually connected to the Torrance family, but there's no way they'd name her that unless it meant something specific. Perhaps we'll see her become a little unhinged, like her namesake, in upcoming episodes.
Episode 2: The Mellow Tiger Bar
Origin: Needful Things
Set in the town of Castle Rock, Needful Things was the first work to introduce the Mellow Tiger Bar. It's established that it is the only bar in Castle Rock, meaning we'll probably be seeing a lot of it as the series continues.
Episode 2: A Makeshift Pet Sematary
Origin: Pet Sematary
This is one of the best nods to King's work in that it's not simply borrowing a location or character, but rather the overall tone of a book. In the second episode, Pangborn is seen digging up a dead dog in the Deaver backyard, due to Ruth believing it's come back to life. It harkens back to Pet Sematary, which saw dead animals becoming reanimated.