Lovecraft Country has been bringing viewers on a terrifying trip through Jim Crow America. It’s a place where monsters of all kinds lurk. But soon some people will be able to fully immerse themselves into that 1950s nightmare. HBO has announced an all-new social VR experience Lovecraft Country: Sanctum. And it will be a celebration of this series and Black voices that everyone can enjoy.
Lovecraft Country: Sanctum will serve as a special companion experience to the show. HBO describes it as “a series of exclusive virtual reality events transporting invited guests into a world inspired by the show.”
From the official press release:
“In a first-of-its-kind, groundbreaking social VR event series, 100 select influential voices will experience three events consisting of immersive theater, escape rooms, art installations, puzzles and a live concert, via the Oculus Quest headset, all inspired by Lovecraft Country. The events will be simultaneously run on the social VR platform VRChat, which allows guests to talk and interact with each other in real time within the environment, and streamed to the world via YouTube Live. Viewers on the YouTube Live stream will be able to interact in real-time, solving riddles to trigger spells that directly impact the experience.”
HBO
The game, developed by HBO with the VFX studio The Mill, will feature voiceover performances by the show’s stars Jonathan Majors, Courtney B. Vance, and Michael Kenneth Williams. It will also include art installations by afrofuturists David Alabo, Devan Shimoyama, and Adeyemi Adegbesan. Series star Jurnee Smollett will also give a theatrical performance “inspired by the words of James Baldwin” and adapted by Lovecraft Country writer Shannon Houston.
Sanctum will also include an exclusive VR concert given by a yet unnamed artist.
“We were very inspired by the deeply layered and dynamic world Misha Green has brought to life in Lovecraft Country and wanted to create a digital experience for fans that is just as innovative as the series itself,” said Dana Flax, Vice President, Program Marketing at HBO in a statement. “We’re so thrilled to be partnering with The Mill on creating a virtual reality ‘secret society’ in Sanctum. So much of Lovecraft Country is rooted in the idea of travel as a catalyst for self-discovery. Sanctum provides a way for fans to come together virtually and safely in a unique new place and experience incredible performances that further explore themes and ideas from the show. These virtual events also give us the special opportunity of spotlighting the work of Black artists in celebration of this very important series.”
HBO
Everyone will be able to watch the 100 “influential voices” play via YouTube Live. Here’s the official schedule:
- Event #1: Garden of Eden
Thursday, September 3
10:00 PM ET/ 7:00 PM PT - Event #2: An American Dream
Thursday, September 24
10:00 PM ET/ 7:00 PM PT - Event #3: Music of the Cosmos
Monday, October 19
10:00 PM ET/ 7:00 PM PT
For more information you can visit Lovecraftsanctum.com.
Featured Image: HBO
