How to watch Lovecraft Country online: stream the new HBO Max show from anywhere

(Image credit: HBO)

The success of Lovecraft Country seems all but guaranteed. It’s got the exec-producing chutzpah of Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us) and J.J. Abrams (Lost, Cloverfield), the storytelling dexterity of showrunner Misha Green (Underground), and is being brought writhing and shrieking to screens by HBO (Game of Thrones, Westworld), that purveyor of near-transcendent TV. Critics are already declaring it the most unique thing you’ll see in 2020. So, don’t be a Cthulhu: read our guide below and watch Lovecraft Country online for free now.

Lovecraft Country cheat sheet

Premiere episode ‘Sunset’ will be broadcast on the HBO network on August 16 at 9pm ET / PT, with each subsequent one-hour instalment airing every Sunday. It will be made simultaneously available on HBO Max. Lovecraft Country has a TV-MA rating and has 10 episodes in total.

Based on the Matt Ruff novel of the same name, Lovecraft Country was inspired by the cult Science Fiction writer H.P. Lovecraft, whose uncanny tales, populated by ancient, incomprehensible beings, evoked a mood of cosmic terror and existential dread. And, although the phrase “Lovecraft Country” was coined by his avid devotees – referring to an area of Massachusetts invented through his fiction – neither the book or TV series pays Lovecraft any kind of fan service, given his undeniably racist views.

Instead, the HBO adaptation uses the author’s horror stories to confront a culturally-engrained prejudice, with Lovecraft Country set in 1950s Jim Crow-era America. Korean war veteran Atticus Freeman (Jonathan Majors from When We Rise) returns to his hometown to find his father Montrose (Michael Kenneth Williams) has vanished. Joined by his Uncle George (Courtney B. Vance), and his childhood friend “Leti” (Jurnee Smollett-Bell of True Blood), they depart Chicago on a road-trip across racially-segregated America, where, in addition to recognizably human monsters, they encounter the multidimensional kind too.

An epic, genre-bending journey into the heart of darkness, a story of redemption, and a rich paean to Black culture, Green promises Lovecraft Country will be “unlike anything else on television”. Its male lead Jonathan Majors is equally enigmatic: “All I can say is it’s one hell of a ride!”

On that note, grab a front row seat and prepare to shriek – once your face covering’s in place of course – as we detail how to watch Lovecraft Country online from anywhere in the world.

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Watch Lovecraft Country online from outside your country

If you find yourself out of the country when Lovecraft Country becomes available on HBO Max, you'll be dismayed to discover that WarnerMedia’s streaming service is only available in the United States. Luckily, using a VPN will alter your IP address, allowing you to bypass geo-blocks and enjoy the latest TV shows and blockbusters that would otherwise be regionally restricted.

There are dozens of VPNs to choose from, but we recommend ExpressVPN. It's quick, simple to use, and easy to install. Plus, it’s compatible with a whole host of devices, including but not limited to Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox, PlayStation, and iOS and Android software.

Express VPN's flexible 30-day money back guarantee is difficult to turn down. But even better, you can purchase an annual plan for a 49% discount and get 3 months extra FREE – a brilliant deal for an essential piece of kit.

Once installed, just pick the location of your home country, click connect, and shazam! You’ll be free to enjoy Lovecraft Country, along with hundreds of other thrilling films and TV shows, no matter where you are on the planet.

How to watch Lovecraft Country online in the US

Cable viewers with the HBO channel can watch this much-anticipated series every Sunday, starting from August 16 at 9pm.

Those who’ve cut-the-cord will find their supernatural chills on HBO Max, the latest darling of the streaming world. Subscription costs $14.99 a month, although new customers are entitled to a week-long free trial first. This should be enough time to catch the Yann Demange-directed premiere of Lovecraft Country, and maybe a few more episodes if you’re willing to hold off a week or so before registering.

And if you’re a current HBO Now subscriber or pay for HBO through your cable provider, you might actually be entitled to HBO Max at no extra cost.

If your eyeballs are suitably enchanted, then a monthly subscription will open up a universe of acclaimed content, including classic TV shows from HBO like Game of Thrones, Westworld, and Succession, curated titles from Turner Classic Movies, and picks from Warner Brothers’ 100-year library. It’s also the exclusive home of all seasons of Friends and the entire Studio Ghibli back catalogue.

Devices compatible with HBO Max include iPhone and Android devices, Apple and Samsung TVs, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles, Chromecast and Chromebooks, and laptops and PCS. It doesn’t currently work, however, with Roku or the Amazon Fire Stick.

How to watch Lovecraft Country online in Canada

No Canadian is being left behind when it comes to quality TV. An entry-level Crave subscription already gifts you access to past HBO shows for CND$9.99. But to join Atticus, Leticia, and co on their road-trip from hell, you’ll need to select the second-tier subscription, Movies + HBO. For CND$19.98 (plus tax), this guarantees Canadian viewers access to HBO programming at the same time as its US broadcast. So, you can exchange your hot take on the chilling Lovecraft Country with your American friends without fretting about spoilers. Even better, before you part with a single dime you get to luxuriate in the warm glow of their 7 Day Free Trial!

It’s worth reiterating that anyone travelling abroad will need to download a streaming VPN to connect to the streaming service they’re registered with back home, and so watch Lovecraft Country online no matter where in the universe you are.

How to watch Lovecraft Country online in the UK

UK fans rejoice, as you can also savour this racially-charged horror drama from 9pm on Monday August 17, only a day after its US premiere. Those still tethered to cable can watch it on Sky Atlantic, and Now TV will provide on-demand viewers with the OTT option. Just select their Entertainment Pass to get access to Lovecraft Country and more than 300 TV boxsets.

On signing up, new subscribers get a one-week free trial. It costs £8.99 a month thereafter (£9.99 after August 31), but there’s no contract so you can cancel at any time.

How to watch Lovecraft Country online in Australia

Foxtel is bringing Lovecraft Country to the Aussies big style. Binge, its most recent VOD venture, is a great value option. Their entry-level package is only AU$10, which provides one stream in SD quality. Splash out a little more, though, and get HD viewing and up to 4 streams.

Binge only launched in July, which might account for its generous 14-Day Free Trial! Once subscribed, you’ll get access to 10,000 hours of content, with titles including Big Little Lies, The Wire, Chernobyl, and more from networks like HBO, FX, and Warner Bros. It also offers more than 800 movies.

If you’re looking for an online surrogate for cable TV, you might want to investigate Foxtel Now instead. This IPTV service is more expensive at AU$25 for their Essential Pop & Lifestyle pack, but you’ll get an excess of 25 channels that includes MTV, CNN, Fox8 and Fox Showcase. The latter will be streaming Lovecraft Country each week from Monday, August 17. And, with a 10-Day Free Trial available, it’s surely worth a peek.

Finally, remember that if you’re abroad in Australia and decide to sample either Binge or Foxtel Now, you’d probably require an Australian phone number and/or method of payment. Much less hassle would be to download a VPN and connect to your OD service back home, so that you can watch Lovecraft Country online, and relish this latest hit from anywhere in the world.

Daniel Pateman is a freelance writer, producing articles across the cultural spectrum for magazines like Aesthetica, Photomonitor, The Brooklyn Rail and This is Tomorrow. He also provides text-writing services to individual curators and artists worldwide, and has had work published internationally. His favourite film genre is horror (bring on Scream 5!) and he never tires of listening to Absolute 80s on the radio.