Good News for Peacock Fans as the Platform Adds One of the Best Movies of All Time
NBC has just added one of the most beloved movies of all time to its streaming service Peacock. The Shawshank Redemption, a 1994 prison drama, is now available for fans to watch anytime.
The film, written and directed by Frank Darabont, is based on Stephen King’s 1982 novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. It tells the story of Andy Dufresne, a banker who is wrongly sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary for murdering his wife and her lover. Despite his innocence, Andy faces decades behind bars, where he befriends fellow inmate Ellis “Red” Redding, played by Morgan Freeman.
Together, they navigate the harsh realities of prison life, with Andy eventually becoming involved in a money laundering scheme run by the corrupt warden Samuel Norton.
Darabont bought the rights to Stephen King’s story back in 1987 but didn’t start working on the film until five years later. He wrote the script quickly, in just eight weeks. After submitting the script to Castle Rock Entertainment, Darabont managed to secure a $25 million budget, and filming began in early 1993.
Although the story is set in Maine, the entire movie was shot mainly in Mansfield, Ohio, at the Ohio State Reformatory, which stood in for Shawshank prison. Many famous actors like Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, and Kevin Costner were considered for the role of Andy before Tim Robbins was cast. The movie’s score was composed by Thomas Newman.
When The Shawshank Redemption first came out, it got great reviews, especially for the performances of Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. However, it didn’t do well at the box office, making only $16 million initially.
Several reasons were given for this, including strong competition from movies like Pulp Fiction and Forrest Gump, the fact that prison films were not very popular, and even the confusing title. But the film gained recognition with seven Academy Award nominations and a theatrical re-release that helped increase its total earnings to $73.3 million worldwide.
The movie became a huge hit on VHS rental and was the top rental in 1995, thanks to strong word of mouth and its award buzz. After Turner Broadcasting System bought Castle Rock Entertainment, the film started airing regularly on TNT in 1997, which helped it reach a wider audience.
Over time, it has become one of the most loved movies by viewers around the world, often cited as a favorite by fans and celebrities alike. In 2015, the United States Library of Congress honored it by preserving it in the National Film Registry, calling it “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
The Shawshank Redemption celebrates 25 years at the cinemas 9/22, 9/24 & 9/25. Check out the trailer here: https://t.co/qsmKPYLYxy pic.twitter.com/CGI2oZ6UoF
— Fathom Entertainment (@FathomEnt) September 8, 2019
For those who don’t have Peacock yet, the streaming service offers a subscription for $10.99 a month with ads or $16.99 a month without ads, making it easy for anyone to watch this classic film whenever they want.
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