After the runaway success of Get Out, its writer-director, Jordan Peele, will produce a racism-themed horror series for HBO. Entitled Lovecraft Country, the series will be based on the novel of the same name by Matt Ruff. The novel juxtaposes H.P. Lovecraft-themed horror with Jim Crow Era racism as the protagonist journeys across America to find his missing father.
Deadline reports the show will be an anthology in format and will aim to “reclaim genre storytelling from the African-American perspective.” HBO has given the show a straight-to-series order. Misha Green, who wrote for both Sons of Anarchy and Heroes, will serve as showrunner and will also write the series’ pilot. Peele will executive produce alongside J.J. Abrams and Ben Stephenson. The show will be a collaboration between Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, Abrams’ Bad Robot and Warner Bros Television.
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“When I first read Lovecraft Country I knew it had the potential to be unlike anything else on television,” Green said. “Jordan, JJ, Bad Robot, Warner Bros and HBO are all in the business of pushing the limits when it comes to storytelling, and I am beyond thrilled to be working with them on this project.” The Lovecraft Country deal further raises Peele’s profile after the tremendous success of Get Out.
The socially conscious horror film has made more $156 million and is the highest-grossing debut film from a writer-director ever. The former Key & Peele star also recently signed a “first look” deal with Universal Pictures. The studio will get first crack at his next film, which is said to be a bigger budget social thriller written, produced and directed by Peele.
“Through extraordinary imagination and fearless humor, Jordan has proven himself to be a game-changer who is driven to tell stories that are as commercially entertaining as they are disruptive and provocative,” said Universal chairman Donna Langley. Get Out is currently available digitally and will be out on Blu-ray and DVD on May 23.
