In The Shawshank Redemption, Andy’s escape from prison required determination and years of hard work. But just how long did he spend working on it?

In The Shawshank Redemption, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) spends years planning his escape from Shawshank prison, but one fan theory suggests that he was planning it for even longer. The 1994 film, based on the 1982 novella Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King, is often regarded as one of the best movies of all time, and Andy’s escape from prison via tunnel is the film’s most iconic scene. His break out required endless determination and years of hard work, but just how long did Andy spend working on his escape?

Early in The Shawshank Redemption, Andy befriends Red (Morgan Freeman), a fellow inmate serving a life sentence. Red is known for smuggling contraband into Shawshank prison and acquires a rock hammer and posters of various pin-up girls for Andy. While carving his name in the wall one night, a piece of stone falls off, and Andy realizes that he can dig his way out. Over the next two decades, he uses the hammer to create a ten feet long tunnel out of Shawshank, covering up the entrance with the poster. Andy’s Shawshank plan is successful for one born out of luck - unless it was never actually a fluke.

Related: The Shawshank Redemption: Why Red Is In Prison (Who He Murdered)

According to one theory (via Reddit), Andy began his plan to get out of Shawshank the moment he stepped in. After listening to another inmate be beaten to death on his first night in prison, Andy used his knowledge of geology to look for structural issues in his cell that he could use to his advantage. Once he determines that the walls are weak enough to dig through, he begins his plan the next day by forming the relationships necessary for his escape. He strikes a deal with Warden Norton to avoid further scrutinization and starts a friendship with Freeman's Red to obtain resources and information. The theory also references a scene in which Andy studies several rocks in the prison yard as further evidence, as he later discards his tunnel chips within the yard, knowing that nobody would notice the difference. The scene takes place before Andy receives the hammer, suggesting that he was planning his escape long before he wrote his name into the wall. Andy’s chess set, which he spends years building, represents the length and complexity of his escape plan. Red, who does not understand the game of chess, is, therefore, unable to realize what Andy is working towards.

While the theory makes some good arguments, a lot of the evidence is flimsy, and there’s no solid basis for it. Andy is a smart and calculating Shawshank character, but he has difficulty adjusting to his life inside prison. It seems unlikely that he could conceive such a complicated plan while listening to another man be beaten to death. His partnership with Warden Norton is an unpleasant requirement for his survival, and while his friendship with Red has advantages, those come secondary to the genuine care they have for each other. When Andy inspects the rocks in the yard, it’s to prove to Red that he does have an interest in geology and won’t use the rock hammer to hurt himself or anyone else.

Since The Shawshank Redemption is narrated by Red, not Andy, the audience’s understanding of Andy’s journey is limited by Red’s understanding of his journey. It is near impossible to know the reality of Andy’s words and actions, and there’s no way to know for sure if he was planning his escape from the beginning or if he just saw an opportunity and took it. Regardless of how Andy’s escape plan was conceived, the moment where he stands in the rain to celebrate its success is one that left a mark on audiences and the history of cinema.

More: Shawshank Redemption: Andy's Secret Message To Red Explained

Antonia is a freelance movie and television features writer for Screen Rant. They have a film degree, which they use to win arguments when debating pieces of media. When they are not watching or ranting about things, they can be found writing about morally corrupt people getting involved in comedic situations. In a literal sense, they are based in Australia. In every other sense, they live in the town of Riverdale.