Lovecraft Country (TV series)

Lovecraft Country is an American drama horror television series developed by Misha Green based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Matt Ruff. It premiered on August 16, 2020, on HBO.[2] The series is produced by Monkeypaw Productions, Bad Robot Productions, and Warner Bros. Television with executive producers including Jordan Peele, Green, J. J. Abrams, and Ben Stephenson. The story is about a young black man who travels across the segregated 1950s United States in search of his missing father, learning of dark secrets plaguing a town on which famous horror writer H. P. Lovecraft supposedly based the location of many of his fictional tales.

Lovecraft Country
Genre	Drama Supernatural horror[1]
Based on	Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff
Developed by	Misha Green
Starring	Jurnee Smollett Jonathan Majors Aunjanue Ellis Courtney B. Vance Wunmi Mosaku Abbey Lee Jamie Chung Jada Harris Michael K. Williams
Music by	Laura Karpman and Raphael Saadiq
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	1
No. of episodes	1
Production
Executive producer(s)	Misha Green J. J. Abrams Jordan Peele Yann Demange (pilot) David Knoller (pilot) Bill Carraro Ben Stephenson
Producer(s)	Christina Varotsis Dana Robin
Cinematography	Tat Radcliffe
Editor(s)	Marta Evry Chris Wyatt
Camera setup	Single-camera
Running time	53–68 minutes
Production company(s)	Afemme Monkeypaw Productions Bad Robot Productions Warner Bros. Television
Release
Original network	HBO
Original release	August 16, 2020 (2020-08-16) – present (present)
External links
Website

Premise

Lovecraft Country follows "Atticus Freeman as he joins up with his friend Letitia and his Uncle George to embark on a road trip across 1950s Jim Crow America in search of his missing father. This begins a struggle to survive and overcome both the racist terrors of white America and the terrifying monsters that could be ripped from a Lovecraft paperback".[3]

Cast and characters

Main

• Jurnee Smollett as Letitia "Leti" Lewis[4]
• Jonathan Majors as Atticus "Tic" Freeman[4]
• Aunjanue Ellis as Hippolyta Freeman, Atticus' aunt and a star-gazer with an itch for adventure.[4]
• Courtney B. Vance as George Freeman, Atticus' warm, funny and well-read uncle.[4]
• Wunmi Mosaku as Ruby Baptiste, Leti's hustler half-sister.[4]
• Abbey Lee as Christina Braithwhite, the sole daughter of the leader of a secret order known as the "Sons of Adam".[4]
• Jamie Chung as Ji-Ah, a seemingly naive nursing student who is more than she seems.
• Jada Harris as Diana Freeman[4]
• Michael K. Williams as Montrose Freeman, Atticus' hard-headed and secretive father.[4]

Recurring

• Jamie Harris as Eustace Hunt, the county sheriff.
• Jordan Patrick Smith as William, Christina's henchman and lover.
• Jamie Neumann as Hillary
• Erica Tazel as Dora Freeman
• Mac Brandt as Lancaster
• Tony Goldwyn as Samuel Braithwhite, leader of "Sons of Adam" and patriarch of his family, who views people as assets and objects, and outsiders — including his daughter Christina — as inferiors.

Episodes

No.	Title	Directed by	Teleplay by [5]	Original air date [6]	U.S. viewers (millions)
1	"Sundown"	Yann Demange	Misha Green	August 16, 2020 (2020-08-16)	0.760[7]
2	"Whitey's on the Moon"[8]	Daniel Sackheim	Misha Green	August 23, 2020 (2020-08-23)	TBD
3	"Holy Ghost"[9]	Daniel Sackheim	Misha Green	August 30, 2020 (2020-08-30)	TBD
4	"A History of Violence"[10]	Victoria Mahoney	Misha Green Story by : Wes Taylor	September 6, 2020 (2020-09-06)	TBD
5	"Strange Case"[11]	Cheryl Dunye	Misha Green and Jonathan Kidd & Sonya Winton	September 13, 2020 (2020-09-13)	TBD
6	"Meet Me in Daegu"[12]	TBA	Misha Green and Kevin Lau	September 20, 2020 (2020-09-20)	TBD
7	"I Am."[13]	TBA	Misha Green and Shannon Houston	September 27, 2020 (2020-09-27)	TBD
8	"Jig-A-Bobo"[14]	TBA	Misha Green and Belinda Ihuoma Ofordire	October 4, 2020 (2020-10-04)	TBD
9	"Rewind 1921"[15]	TBA	Misha Green & Jonathan Kidd & Sonya Winton	October 11, 2020 (2020-10-11)	TBD
10	"Full Circle"[16]	TBA	Misha Green Story by : Belinda Ihuoma Ofordire	October 18, 2020 (2020-10-18)	TBD

Production

Development

On May 16, 2017, it was announced that HBO had given a series order to Lovecraft Country. Executive producers include Misha Green, Jordan Peele, J. J. Abrams, and Ben Stephenson. Additionally, Green serves as the series' showrunner and wrote the pilot episode. Production companies involved in the series include Monkeypaw Productions, Bad Robot Productions, and Warner Bros. Television. It was reported that Peele originally brought the project to Bad Robot Productions and enlisted Green to develop the show.[17][18][19][20]

On March 5, 2018, it was announced that Yann Demange would direct and executive produce the pilot episode.[21][22][23]

Casting

On April 26, 2018, it was announced that Jurnee Smollett had been cast as the series' female lead.[24] On May 2, 2018, it was reported that Jonathan Majors had joined the main cast as the series' male lead.[25] A day later, it was reported that Wunmi Mosaku had also been cast as a series regular.[26] On June 19, 2018, it was announced that Aunjanue Ellis and Elizabeth Debicki had been cast as series regulars and that Courtney B. Vance had joined the series in a recurring capacity.[27] On October 10, 2018, it was reported that Michael Kenneth Williams had been cast in a leading role.[28] On June 14, 2019, it was reported that Abbey Lee had replaced Elizabeth Debicki in the role of Christina Braithwaite, whilst Jamie Chung and Jordan Patrick Smith had been cast in recurring roles.[29] On June 20, 2019, it was announced that Jamie Neumann, Erica Tazel, and Mac Brandt had been cast in recurring capacities.[30] In July 2019, Tony Goldwyn joined the cast.[31]

Filming

Principal photography for the series began on July 16, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois.[32] Filming also reportedly took place at the Chicago Cinespace Film Studios[33] in Elburn, Illinois[34] and White Pines State Park in Mount Morris, Illinois,[35] at Blackhall Studios in Atlanta, Georgia and Macon, Georgia.[36]

Release

Lovecraft Country premiered on August 16, 2020, on HBO, and consists of ten episodes.[37][38][2]

Reception

Critical response

On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Lovecraft Country holds an approval rating of 97% based on 76 reviews, with an average rating of 8.86/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Anchored by Jurnee Smollett-Bell and Jonathan Majors' heroic performances, Misha Green's Lovecraft Country is a thrilling take on Lovecraftian lore that proves the Elder Gods aren't the only thing that goes bump in the cosmos."[39] On Metacritic, the series has a weighted average score of 80 out of 100, based on 39 critics, indicating "Generally favorable reviews".[40]

Writing for The A.V. Club, Shannon Miller lauded the show's ability to balance Lovecraft's more problematic political views with "an appreciation for [his] unparalleled vision".[41] Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com pointed to the show's use of genre storytelling "to peel back layers of American history to reveal the systemic problems underneath it", while also describing it as "marvelously entertaining".[42] Chicago Tribune's Michael Phillips, in reference to earlier, less successful attempts at adaptation of Lovecraft's works, said the show "succeeds where others have not" and commended the show on its themes, despite calling the five episodes available for early review "uneven".[43] In a more critical review, Daniel D'Addario of Variety wrote that "the violence of Lovecraftian horror is so extreme [...] that even the most evil impulses of humanity seem an inadequate counterweight".[44]

Ratings

Viewership and ratings per episode of Lovecraft Country

No.	Title	Air date	Rating (18–49)	Viewers (millions)	DVR (18–49)	DVR viewers (millions)	Total (18–49)	Total viewers (millions)
1	"Sundown"	August 16, 2020	0.2	0.760[7]	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD

References

1. Newby, Richard (August 16, 2020). "'Lovecraft Country': Inside the HBO Horror Drama's Chilling Premiere". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
2. "New Drama Series LOVECRAFT COUNTRY Debuts August 16, Exclusively On HBO". WarnerMedia. July 1, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
3. Kreps, Daniel (May 1, 2020). "'Lovecraft Country': See First Trailer for Jordan Peele-Produced HBO Horror Series". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
4. "Lovecraft Country: Cast". HBO. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
5. "Lovecraft Country". Writers Guild of America West. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
6. "Lovecraft Country – Listings". The Futon Critic. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
7. Metcalf, Mitch (August 18, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Sunday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 8.16.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
8. "(#02/102) "Whitey's on the Moon"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
9. "(#03/103) "Holy Ghost"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
10. "(#04/104) "A History of Violence"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
11. "(#05/105) "Strange Case"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
12. "Lovecraft Country 06: Meet Me in Daegu". HBO. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
13. "Lovecraft Country 07: I Am". HBO. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
14. "Lovecraft Country 08: Jig-A-Bobo". HBO. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
15. "Lovecraft Country 09: Rewind 1921". HBO. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
16. "Lovecraft Country 10: Full Circle". HBO. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
17. Fleming Jr, Mike (May 16, 2017). "'Get Out's Jordan Peele Teams With WBTV, HBO & Bad Robot For 'Lovecraft Country' Drama Series; Misha Green Writing". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
18. Otterson, Joe (May 16, 2017). "Jordan Peele to Produce HBO Series 'Lovecraft Country' With J.J. Abrams, Misha Green". Variety. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
19. Sokol, Tony (May 16, 2017). "Jordan Peele to Produce Lovecraft Country for HBO". Den of Geek. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
20. Sandberg, Bryn Elise (May 16, 2017). "Jordan Peele Teams With Bad Robot for HBO Drama Series". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
21. Andreeva, Nellie (March 5, 2018). "'Lovecraft Country': Yann Demange To Direct HBO Series From Jordan Peele & J.J. Abrams". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
22. Kit, Borys (March 5, 2018). "Yann Demange Joins Jordan Peele, J.J. Abrams for HBO's 'Lovecraft Country'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
23. Boucher, Ashley (March 5, 2018). "Jordan Peele, JJ Abrams' HBO Series Adds Yann Demage". TheWrap. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
24. Andreeva, Nellie (April 26, 2018). "'Lovecraft Country': Jurnee Smollett-Bell To Star In HBO Series From Jordan Peele, J.J. Abrams & Misha Green". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
25. Andreeva, Nellie (May 2, 2018). "'Lovecraft Country': Jonathan Majors To Star In HBO Series From Misha Green, Jordan Peele & J.J. Abrams". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
26. Petski, Denise (May 3, 2018). "'Lovecraft': Wunmi Mosaku Cast In HBO Series From Misha Green, Jordan Peele & J.J. Abrams". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
27. Andreeva, Nellie (June 19, 2018). "'Lovecraft Country': Courtney B. Vance, Aunjanue Ellis & Elizabeth Debicki Join HBO Drama Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
28. Petski, Denise (October 10, 2018). "'Lovecraft Country': Michael Kenneth Williams Cast In HBO Series From Misha Green, Jordan Peele & J.J. Abrams". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
29. Andreeva, Nellie (June 14, 2019). "'Lovecraft Country': Abbey Lee Joins In Recasting, Daniel Sackheim Set As EP/Director, Jamie Chung & Jordan Patrick Smith To Recur On HBO Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 15, 2019.
30. Petski, Denise (June 20, 2019). "'Lovecraft Country': Jamie Neumann, Erica Tazel & Mac Brandt To Recur On HBO Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
31. Petski, Denis (July 10, 2019). "'Lovecraft Country': Tony Goldwyn Joins Cast Of HBO Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
32. "Monday, July 16 Filming Locations for You're The Worst, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, The Chi, John Wick 3, & more! - On Location Vacations". On Location Vacations. July 15, 2018. Archived from the original on March 25, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
33. Patton, Daniel (July 9, 2018). "Cinespace adds new Chicago facility". Reel Chicago. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
34. Bachman, Tyler (June 28, 2018). "Elburn Will Be Filming Site for New HBO Series Next Month". WSPY News. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
35. "HBO gives sneak peak at 'Lovecraft Country' series, filmed in Mount Morris". WTVO. November 11, 2019. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
36. Plaskowsky, Andrew (May 1, 2020). "HBO releases 'Lovecraft Country' trailer with shots of downtown Macon". WMAZ. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
37. Iannucci, Rebecca (May 1, 2020). "HBO's Trip to Lovecraft Country Takes a Horrifying Turn in First Trailer — Watch". TVLine. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
38. Seddon, Dan (May 2, 2020). "Star Wars' JJ Abrams unveils trailer for spooky new series Lovecraft Country". DigitalSpy. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
39. "Lovecraft Country: Season 1 (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
40. "Lovecraft Country: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
41. Miller, Shannon (August 7, 2020). "Lovecraft Country is a stunning, horrific look at a grotesque legacy". The A.V. Club. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
42. Tallerico, Brian (August 12, 2020). "HBO's Lovecraft Country is Wicked Smart Television". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
43. Phillips, Michael (August 7, 2020). "'Lovecraft Country' review: the wild side of 'Green Book,' pulled from the guts of American racism". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
44. D'Addario, Daniel (August 7, 2020). "'Lovecraft Country' Uses Horror Traditions to Tell a Story of American Racism: TV Review". Variety. Retrieved August 13, 2020.

External links

• Lovecraft Country on IMDb