ATLANTA — Sunday night’s premiere of the HBO original series Lovecraft Country unveiled the network’s latest show anticipated to draw millions in every weekend this fall.
The series, which is executive produced by JJ Abrams and Jordan Peel, was filmed throughout Georgia and Chicago, Illinois during the summer and fall of 2019.
Episode 1 “Sundown” took viewers on a ride like no other as the show introduced the story of racial tension during the Jim Crow era with monsters.
It’s a combination of real-life horror and fiction that made Peel’s 2017 film “Get Out" a big hit with audiences at the box office.
Without spoiling the first episode, the show bends several genres of mystery and horror.
What’s Lovecraft County about?
Lovecraft Country is set during the 1950’s Jim Crow era following Atticus Freeman, and his family as they search for his missing father in the rural New England. The show has elements of horror, suspense, and action as the characters not only battle the fight against racism, but also gory monsters.
Producers use contemporary hip hop throughout the show that helps illustrate the correlation between racial tensions of past and what’s happening now in America.
Fans of horror fiction shows like The Walking Dead and Stranger Things will find elements to enjoy in the re-imagined historical drama.
Which stars appears in Lovecraft Country?
With executive producers like Peele and Abrams, HBO kept A-Listers in mind for Lovecraft Country. Freeman is played by Jonathan Major who recently appears in Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods”.
Jurnee Smolett, who is most known for her roles in “The Great Debaters” and “Eve’s Bayou” co-stars as Leticia Lewis.
Uncle George is played by Courtney B. Vance who has appeared as Johnnie Cochran in American Crime Story : The People Vs. OJ Simpson.
HBO viewers will see a familiar face on Lovecraft Country. Michael K Williams, who once appeared on the The Wire, stars as Montrose Freeman. Expect to see his character in more upcoming episodes.
Where were scenes of Lovecraft Country filmed?
Production for “Lovecraft Country” began in May 2019 in Georgia, while the state’s film tax incentive was up for political discussion as many in the industry spoke out against Governor Kemp’s Heartbeat Bill.
Abrams and Peele were one of the first producers to take a stand on the issue by offering to make a donation from their project to fight against the bill.
From there, crews began an extensive casting search for people across the state that had the look of the show’s 1950’s setting.
When it came to time to create the sets for Lovecraft Country, HBO went big by not only filming throughout areas of Marietta, East Point and metro Atlanta, but they also leased three soundstages at BlackHall Studios.
Inside Blackhall Studios with Ryan Milsap
When The A-Scene went to visit BlackHall Studios in October of 2019, CEO Ryan Milsap confirmed that the series had a “Game of Thrones budget” and was utilizing three sound stages at his facility.
According to Business Insider, an episode of Game of Thrones costed the network nearly $15 million during its final season.
Earlier during that summer, Caresse Davis shared footage from production on Broad Street downtown on August 16.
Many people in the A-Scene Facebook group shared when crews were filming under the basecamp code “RP”"
One of our viewers also captured some of the action in the making.
“Fell onto Mitchell Street and Jordan Peele’s HBO show called Lovecraft Country,” Nadine Marzullo wrote in with several photos from the scene.
We also received a tip from A-Scene Insider Julie Viana who spotted production trucks for wardrobe, equipment and gear on Whitlock Avenue in Marietta,
Johnny Pizza, the owner of Hoboken Cafe on Whitlock, says crew members from H Lovecraft Country can't get enough of his meatball subs.
Check out our interview with him below.
