Lovecraft Country, the inventive HBO series from showrunner Misha Green, will not be returning for Season 2.
Starring Jonathan Majors and Jurnee Smollett-Bell, and based on the book by Matt Ruff, Lovecraft Country salvaged some of the more durable themes of the infamous H.P. Lovecraft while flipping his persistent racism on its head. It combined elements of science fiction, horror, and social satire with a stunning period drama, and captivated audiences on route to becoming one of the best TV shows of 2020. Now it is no more.
“We will not be moving forward with a second season of Lovecraft Country,” HBO said to Deadline. “We are grateful for the dedication and artistry of the gifted cast and crew, and to Misha Green, who crafted this groundbreaking series. And to the fans, thank you for joining us on this journey.”
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The decision is surprising, considering the success of Season 1. But it seems to have been based in HBO’s lack of enthusiasm around the direction of Season 2. The show had already exhausted its source material, and HBO wanted to hear Green’s vision before putting its money where its monsters were.
In February, HBO told Deadline that “Misha is working with a small team of writers and they’re coming up with a take. She had a book to go on in the first season. She and the writers wanted to go off and take some time to go out and figure out without a book with these characters, what’s the journey we want to go on. We all want to be sure she’s got a story to tell. That’s where she is right now, working on those ideas. I’m very hopeful, as is Misha, so we’re giving them the time to work.”
HBO’s decision came as a disappointment to Green. In a post on Twitter, the scribe said, “Wish we could have brought you #LovecraftCountry: Supremacy. Thank you to everyone who watched and engaged.”
She also shared a map, titled “The Next Generation,” that she said was, “A taste of the Season 2 Bible.” It shows the United States divided into four territories: The Tribal Nations of the West, the Whitelands, the New Negro Republic, and Jefferson Commonwealth. “Season Two of Lovecraft Country begins in a new world,” the map explains, “and that new world is a country that sits precisely where The United States used to sit — Welcome to the SOVEREIGN STATES OF AMERICA…”
This vision of America wasn’t referenced in Season 1, and apparently HBO didn’t feel confident in this “new world.” Check out Green’s post below.
A taste of the Season 2 Bible. Wish we could have brought you #LovecraftCountry: Supremacy. Thank you to everyone who watched and engaged. 🖤✊🏾 #noconfederate pic.twitter.com/BONbSfbjWg
— Misha Green (@MishaGreen) July 3, 2021
