Lovecraft Country Season 2 Would Have Envisioned a Radically Different America (With Zombies!), EP Reveals
Every breakup has two sides, and showrunner Misha Green is sharing hers after HBO announced that Lovecraft Country will not be returning for a Season 2.
While HBO’s statement on Friday’s cancellation gave the appearance of a mutual parting of the ways, Green took to Twitter to suggest she had plans for a follow-up season that HBO may not have approved of, complete with a map of a new kind of America. “A taste of the Season 2 Bible,” her tweet read. “Wish we could have brought you Lovecraft Country: Supremacy. Thank you to everyone who watched and engaged. #noconfederate”
The map — which you can see below — hints that Season 2 “begins in a new world, and that new world is a country that sits where The United States used to sit.” The “Sovereign States of America” are divided into four distinct zones: the New Negro Republic in the South, the Jefferson Commonwealth in the Northeast and the Whitelands in the middle between them, with the Tribal Nations of the West dominating the nation’s western half.
https://twitter.com/mishagreen/status/1411123731653566466
*UPDATE* In a tweet posted Saturday, Green explained exactly what “the Whitelands” would have looked like.
“The Whitelands is a territory that is completely overrun by zombies — most of them of the slower variety, but with pockets of fast-moving zombies too,” she wrote. “One price of ‘The Origin’ spell was the creation of a zombie population. Years into the epidemic, a joint effort was undertaken to corral the zombies into one location in the center of America. The Whitelands now function as a dangerous border between the South, West and Northern territories. (X marks the spot where ‘The Source’ will appear.”
Set in the 1950s, Lovecraft Country followed an Army veteran named Atticus (played by Da 5 Bloods’ Jonathan Majors) as he set out on a quest to find his missing father (The Wire‘s Michael Kenneth Williams) in Jim Crow-era America. The hybrid genre series was based on the 2016 novel by Matt Ruff of the same name. Season 1 came to a close with more than a few open-ended stories, including a scenario where white people could no longer use magic.
Both the Lovecraft Country drama and book drew heavily on the works of sci-fi/horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, of whom Atticus is a fan — despite the author’s well-documented racism. The cast also included Courtney B. Vance (The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story), Aunjanue Ellis (Quantico), Jurnee Smollett (Underground), Wunmi Mosaku (Luther), Tony Goldwyn (Scandal) and Jaime Chung (Once Upon a Time).
“We will not be moving forward with a second season of Lovecraft Country,” HBO said in a statement. “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.”
Sounds like what the Game of Thrones guys were going to do until it got nixed. Kinda glad to keep it at the one season now, which I very much enjoyed.
I’m so bummed about this not coming back. Loved the characters.
The show had amazing production values and great performances. And a couple of episodes were standouts. But overall the show was a convoluted mess and never really figured out a coherent tone or story.
HBO shows like Veep, The Leftovers and Succession all had problematic first seasons that were allowed to be ironed out to go on to become peak TV. I wish Lovecraft County was afforded the same opportunity
Agreed! The Leftovers had a good first season, but seasons two and three were amazing! Wish Lovecraft had been given the same chance.
The problem with book adaptations is that they can easily become a train wreck when the source material is finished.
I agree Westworld, Veep etc all had chances to get the storyline together. All this show needed was a chance
I think that’s why she wanted to go off the book in Season 2. HBO definitely made a rash decision
The storyline of the book had already been covered together with the ending.So there was no “going off” the book.Misha Green has a rough idea of how she envisioned a possible Season 2 beyond the book–but has not yet even penned a script. She’s already under a commitment to pen and direct a new Tomb Raider movie,produce a new version of Cleopatra Jones ,and other projects.
Lies. Please don’t spread them just because you could not “relate”. Not only was the plot coherent it was brimming with all sorts of easter eggs and goodies for the genre-fandom. And yes the genre has a name. It’s called Speculative Fiction, AfroFuturism, or simply science fiction
There is no way based on the production value and ratings and following that the decision to cancel wasn’t based on something trivial and biased. People will WAIT for what they want to watch…l Remember how long we waited for game of thrones? I’m sorry but HBO is trash for this one. And I’ve unsubscribed. They can eat a big book of racist tropes and choke.
I 100% agree with you @ inceptionKickJutsu. This show was unliked anything we have seen on TV. Really educational, and entertaining with a great cast. Black centered fantasy with reality at the same time. I am so disappointed at HBO’s decision!
Sounds like it would have been an entirely new show, possibly with one or two of Season 1 characters dimension-hopping in and having to navigate this alternate reality, or maybe just the same cast playing new characters.
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It’s an intriguing, ambitious idea, but it doesn’t immediately grab me the same way that the Season 1 premise did.
Ooof. Yeah. This graphic does not exactly inspire confidence in the creative vision for season 2. Maybe HBO made the right call here.
Loved the series even though large parts were incoherent. I do not think it could have continued. HBO got it right.
American Gods Season 1 was a gem, but the second season was unwatchable…really bad.
That was Starz. But see how they were given an opportunity to continue, this series deserved the same opportunity
I’ve had enough of zombies. It’s time for “Walking Dead” and all its spinoffs to end. I loved “Lovecraft Country” and wish we could have seen more, but not with zombies.
I really enjoyed this show. It was something new and exciting every week. Some heavy stuff to digest, too. Reality shone through the cracks.
My husband and I think Netflix would be crazy not to pick up where it left off.
Where’d Long Island go?
Given the decision to cancel by HBO, this spectacular series turned out to be far too insightful and sophisticated in its indictment of the horrors that infest the recesses of white America. Shame on you HBO for not supporting these artists and their phantasmagoric fantasies.
The seems like it needs more clarification—according to the initial Deadline piece Misha Green has had a rough plan on how she would like a possible Season 2 to go–but has not yet penned any script. Since she’s already set to direct and pen the new Tomb Raider movie,produce a new Cleopatra Jones movie,plus other projects it’s hard to imagine how a Season 2 of Lovecraft Country could’ve happened this upcoming Season unless she delegated it.
I hate to say it, but this makes HBO’s passing more understandable. One of the things I really liked about Lovecraft Country was its recognizable grounding in the 1950s and the racial attitudes of the time. The proposed season 2, on the other hand, is alternate history. Make no mistake, I would totally have watched… but I understand HBO’s reticence.
I live in Texas and I assure you, there is no way the Original Mexicans would have let half of Texas be taken over. Read a history book. They were amazingly brutal to rivals. Texas was essentially more akin to a penal colony early on lol. The Texas Rangers police force was originally made of cast offs and criminals bc it was the worst job on law enforcement. You could literally die on a daily basis.
Ummm, nope, I read and watch paranormal and scify stuff on the reg. Most of what you’re saying has no bearing in an alternate universe: Original Mexicans, Texas rangers, ha lol
Some HBO shows are better left at one season. Going through the effort to produce a close ended plot and then renewing is poor creatively.
I was about to start watching this and am kind of unsure now. I’m just going to say it though…I thought the idea of the magical black person trope was a person was something we were supposed to be leaving in the last decade. You’re telling me you want a series where all white people are the ones who can’t use magic?!?! I’m going to pass. There’s no way in hell that’s going to air. You’re saying the source material’s author was accused of racism?!? I can’t imagine!
If you haven’t watched the first season, you should. It is excellent. It would be foolish to decide not to watch based on a proposed second series THAT’S NOT GOING TO BE MADE ANYWAY.
HP Lovecraft, had a very racist history the person who wrote the book Lovecraft country is different
This looks like a convoluted Joss Whedon show, and HBO is already dealing with the fallout from him setting up, then abandoning, The Nevers. I don’t blame them for passing on another expensive scifi/alt history show that doesn’t have a clear, linear vision.
Wise up showrunners. You can’t throw woke on the screen and just expect it to just work. You still need a cohesive story.
Racist says what?
.
There was a cohesive overarching story, because it was based on a novel. But it sounds like you were too busy seething about the number of brown faces on the screen to notice.
It’s kind of funny though because the cohesive overarching story was more in spite of the novel than because of it, because the novel was a series of short stories tied together. How cohesively up for debate.
Funny, how ANY criticism of the series automatically gets a call of “racism”.
You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
Aww did you come out your small bubble and was horrified by the amount of color. Maybe you should’ve read up on the plot for season 2 beforehand. Your comment was like a raisins in the potato salad, unwarranted and unnecessary!
Funny, how ANY criticism of the series automatically gets a call of “racism”.
You ought to be ashamed of yourself.
Say it again for the people in the back. The word woke has now become a stand in for people who just don’t want to see stories that center on people who aren’t white
I’m sick of networks getting you hooked on excellent storyline TV and then for lack of good management decisions they cancel the show as if no one was watching 😒. The same way they horrendously messed up the end to Game of Thrones. It’s like the just phoned it in…..HBO has some great shows but lack the upper management to listen to their subscribers. And for that reason I’M OUT. Canceling my HBO subscription……DONE
Wow – this site now has a “no cursing rule?” When did this happen cause I remember when we could talk freely and uncensored. Why do any of you let someone tell you a certain combination of 4 letters is essentially BANNED? This is censorship – always has been – always will be. Say what you will about TV.com – but they never imposed censorship upon us. Screw this site! Lovecraft Country ruled – eat a dick racists!
If you can’t express yourself without cursing, that says a lot about you.
I absolutely loved Lovecraft Country.
The soundtrack, the visuals, the story, the actors.
It was for me majestic.
I Am blew me away.
Also loved the twins.
Very very very disappointed that we not going to see more of it.
Feeling like a junky waiting for the next dose that ain’t coming right now, haha
Maybe this wouldn’t have worked. It sounds like it would repeat the first season’s faults. Such as peaking in episode 3.
HBO is racist. The only reason they canceled this show was because Misha held a mirror to the face of racist America. They canceled LCC for the same reason they removed Orlando from American Gods- they hated seeing the truth of their racist and evil ways.
Removing Orlando Jones was indeed a boneheaded decision… but made by STARZ, the network that actually airs American Gods.
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And much as I’d like to see more of LC, I don’t think the network that brought it to us—as well as Watchmen, Insecure, and I May Destroy You—is racist.
They cancelled watchmen after season 1 as well
No they didn’t. It was always intended as a one season by Lindelof. If he comes up with an angle for more they’d probably green light it but they had no intent on doing more without him.
I for One will miss Lovecraft Country. Loved how it touched on history, but still seemed present day, even with it being set in the 1950’s. Guess history really does repeat itself.
Loved the show! Absolutely loved it! Season 2 sounds like it would have been epic. Unfortunately if true, no way HBO was going forward with this idea. Especially after the what if the Civil War was in present times series( Whatever it was ) was shot down also. I wanted no parts of that one. And that wasn’t being done by white production. No way they were green lighting this.
Bring it to a different channel to countier the story maybe bet or paramount + JUST a ideal
Lovecraft country is one of the most incredible and moving tv shows I’ve seen in years I loved it and I truly am sad it’s not returning. I hope that another network goes will pick it up because I would love to see zombies in this series. I am a huge zombie fan that mixed with all the other aspects of this series and how beautifully it’s written and directed would have been amazing. I really am sad it will not be returning.