What Morgan Freeman Really Thinks Happened After Shawshank Redemption's Ending

Movie endings don't get much better than 1994's "The Shawshank Redemption." We saw Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) will himself out of Shawshank, literally crawling on all fours through five hundred yards of "s**t-smelling foulness" — as Morgan Freeman's Red so eloquently describes it — to escape a lifelong prison sentence. Him and Red meet up in the Mexican coastal town of Zihuatanejo, which they had previously talked about visiting once on the outside, and both appear to live happily ever after. But do they really? 

Fans have offered up theories for years about what a "Shawshank Redemption" sequel would look like, and whether Andy and Red would stay in Mexico or venture off to do something else with their lives now that they're both free men. While there's room for interpretation, many feel that exploring the next phase of Andy and Red's lives would ultimately ruin the movie's pitch-perfect ending. But what do the actors themselves think? That question was answered by the 84-year-old Freeman on Facebook and Instagram Thursday, October 12, in an ode to the 27th anniversary of "The Shawshank Redemption." 

If Morgan Freeman had his way, Andy and Red would be spending the remainder of their days as fishermen — still in Zihuatanejo — with a goal of living as simply as possible. "I'd like to think Red and Andy are enjoying a simple life in Zihuatanejo, as fishermen on the bay," Freeman wrote on Facebook. "What do you think life was like for them after they reunited?" he asked users. 

"The Shawshank Redemption" premiered in September 1994 and went on to become one of the most beloved movies of all time. The film is an adaptation of Stephen King's 1982 novella "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption." According to Business Insider, "Shawshank Redemption" accounted for 151 hours of airtime in 2014, or about an average of once a week, making it one of the most-watched pieces of cinema ever. 

Fans flocked to Facebook on Thursday, October 12, 2021, to see what Freeman thought about Andy and Red's future. Many offered up theories of their own. "I guess they ran their business with a nice hotel at the beach, where they could work and get money as they enjoyed the ocean, white sand, good beer and girlfriends!" wrote Adriana Titgens, prompting dozens of likes. 

"I hope they're on a boat somewhere catching fish," added Iulia Orzan, "and contemplating about their beautiful friendship." 

Anyone looking to watch "The Shawshank Redemption" can find it streaming on HBO Max or for rent on Amazon and Apple TV.