WARNING! Major spoilers for Lovecraft Country season 1 ahead
HBO’s Lovecraft Country season 1 ended with a perfect set-up for a series continuation and, while there was a lot of hope for the series to carry on into a sophomore season despite the death of its lead character, a season 2 of Lovecraft Country on HBO is not in the cards for the show.
Lovecraft Country adapted the 2016 book of the same name by author Matt Ruff, exploring Lovecraftian horrors from the brain of notably racist horror author H.P. Lovecraft through the lens of Black history. Set primarily in the 1950s during the Jim Crow era, Lovecraft Country followed the adventures of Atticus (Jonathan Majors), Leti (Jurnee Smollett), Montrose (Michael K. Williams) and others in their close circle of family and friends as they went head-to-head with magic that had ties to a mysterious group called the Sons of Adam. Interwoven in the dark fantasy narrative were real historical events, such as the death of Emmett Till, the Tulsa race massacre of 1921, and ongoing social conflicts related to segregation.
Lovecraft Country season 1 wrapped up with a promise for more, with many of the loose ends created by earlier episodes in the season tied up in a heartbreaking — though still satisfying — conclusion. However, there still remained several questions to answer after the Lovecraft Country season 1 finale and fans hoped they would be answered in a potential season 2. While Lovecraft Country will not go on past season 1, showrunner Misha Green shared some of the plans the writers had in store.
Lovecraft Country Season 2 Cancelation
Lovecraft Country’s season 1 finale, called “Full Circle,” aired on October 18, 2020, with 1.5 million viewers tuning in to see how it all ended for Atticus and Leti. After the finale aired, however, Green revealed there was no official word on whether a season 2 renewal was in the cards. While it’s worth noting that Lovecraft Country would have had to craft a story that was not based on the original source material (there was only one book), the HBO drama had amassed a loyal following who would have likely tuned in to watch what happened in season 2. However, HBO officially canceled the beloved series in July 2021. Casey Bloys, HBO’s Chief Content Officer, told Deadline in February that Green and her writing team were “coming up with a take” for season 2, only for the show to be canceled several months later.
Lovecraft Country Season 2 Cast
Given that several of Lovecraft Country‘s main characters died in the season 1 finale, there would have likely been several major cast members sitting out of Lovecraft Country season 2 had it moved forward. If season 2 had happened, fans would probably have seen Jurnee Smollett, Michael K. Williams, Aunjanue Ellis, Jada Harris, and Jamie Chung back to reprise their roles. Deceased characters, such as Majors’ Atticus or Wunmi Mosaku’s Ruby, could’ve returned in flashbacks, but it’s unlikely they would’ve come back in a full capacity. New characters could’ve also joined the cast, including a young George Freeman (Atticus and Leti’s son).
Lovecraft Country Season 2 Story Details
The most interesting element of Lovecraft Country season 2 would’ve been its story, especially considering there was no further connection to Ruff’s book. By the end of Lovecraft Country season 1, the complete story was effectively told, even though there were some definite liberties taken with the source material. Because of this, it was always likely there wouldn’t be a season 2 at all — standalone shows or limited series have been increasingly popular. That said, there was room for Lovecraft Country season 2 to build a new story that was completely separate from the source material. Lovecraft Country season 2 could’ve explored a different route beyond Atticus’ birthright. It could’ve also explored how the Black community was growing in their new, magical gifts that were now exclusive to them and inaccessible to white people, namely any former members of the Sons of Adam or other practitioners. Lovecraft Country season 1 made a bold statement, so it’s a shame that won’t continue into season 2.
Following the cancelation, however, Misha Green revealed on Twitter what Lovecraft Country season 2 would have been about. The title was Lovecraft Country: Supremacy and the story would have introduced a new world, once that included a new map of what was once the United States, now called “the Sovereign States of America,” which is split into four different parts — Tribal Nations of the West, Whitelands, New Negro Republic, and the Jefferson Commonwealth. Unfortunately, whatever story Green and the writers had in mind will no longer get to play out in a Lovecraft Country season 2.
