Lovecraft Country

**Lovecraft Country** is an American horror drama television series developed by American television writer and producer Misha Green, based on the eponymous novel of the same name by Matt Ruff, produced by Monkeypaw Productions, Bad Robot Productions, and Warner Bros. Television with executive producers including Jordan Peele, Green, J. J. Abrams, and Ben Stephenson and premiering on August 16, 2020, on American pay television network, HBO.

The series made its streaming premiere on August 16, 2020, on HBO Max .

## **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.

## **Cast**

### Main

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

### Recurring

* 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.

### Guest

* Jamie Harris as Eunice Hunt, the county sheriff.
* Demetrius Grosse as Marvin Baptiste, Leti's half-broher.

## **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.

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

### Casting

On April 26, 2018, it was announced that Jurnee Smollett had been cast as the series' female lead. On May 2, 2018, it was reported that Jonathan Majors had joined the main cast as the series' male lead. A day later, it was reported that Wunmi Mosaku had also been cast as a series regular. 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. On October 10, 2018, it was reported that Michael Kenneth Williams had been cast in a leading role. 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. On June 20, 2019, it was announced that Jamie Neumann, Erica Tazel, and Mac Brandt had been cast in recurring capacities. In July 2019, Tony Goldwyn joined the cast.

### Filming

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

The series was filmed in Marietta, Georgia, during the week of September 16-20, 2019 under the code name "RP." Filming also took place at Marietta High School, Marietta, Georgia.

## **Reception**

### Critical

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." On Metacritic, the series has a weighted average score of 80 out of 100, based on 39 critics, indicating "Generally favorable reviews".

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". 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". *Chicago Tribune*'s Michael Phillips, in reference to earlier, less successful attempts at an 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". In a more critical review, Daniel D'Addario of *Variety* wrote that "the violence of Lovecraftian horror is so extreme [...] that even the evilest impulses of humanity seem an inadequate counterweight"

## **Trivia**

* During the filming of the first season, in Elburn, IL, a stunt car tipped. One camera operator was in a pod on top of the car.
	+ He was taken to the hospital with non-lethal injuries.
* The series is based on Matt Ruff's novel, but its title refers to its reframing of the work of the bizarre pulp fiction work of writer H.P. Lovecraft, who died in poverty in 1937.
* Australian actress Elizabeth Debicki was originally cast as Christina Braithwhite, but had to drop out due to a scheduling conflict with the Christopher Nolan film, '*Tenet*'.
	+ The role of Christina later went to fellow Aussie actress Abbey Lee.