Upcoming Lovecraft Movie Will Show How Cosmic Horror’s Done - MCE Notices | California State Portal

Cosmic horror is perhaps one of the hardest genres to get right on the big and small screens. Owing to this, only a few Lovecraftian movies have managed to leave their mark. However, an upcoming Lovecraftian movie adaptation seems to hold so much potential that it could eventually serve as the perfect example of how cosmic horror should be done.

In recent history, only a handful of pure cosmic horror movies like Annihilation, Color Out of Space, and The Endless have managed to capture the “fear of the unknown” that drives H.P. Lovecraft’s stories. Among these, a rare few have proven to be commercially successful.

Considering the abstract and ambiguous nature of H.P. Lovecraft’s stories, any movie or TV show that attempts to draw from his brand of horror storytelling is always risky. This trend, however, might soon change since the cosmic indie horror game, Dredge, is being adapted for the big screen. Compared to most cosmic horror stories, the game has one significant advantage that will seemingly allow its adaptation to work.

Why Adapting Dredge Seems Far Simpler Than Classic Lovecraftian Stories

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The biggest problem with direct adaptations of H.P. Lovecraft’s works is the prose the author used to describe the central terrors. More often than not, a monster or geometry in his stories is “unnamable,” “non-Euclidean,” or “indescribable.” In literature, these terms and concepts alone are enough to trigger a reader’s imagination.

However, in the audiovisual storytelling medium, it is often hard to capture something that has been described to be intangible. Despite having Lovecraftian foundations, Dredge carefully navigates these issues by localizing its terrors in maritime folklore. Instead of completely going off the rails with its portrayal of incomprehensible monsters, it features twisted mutations of things we already know.

This, for obvious reasons, makes Dredge more adaptable for the screen than most conventional Lovecraftian horror stories.

Even the protagonists in typical Lovecraft stories are passive observers who either go insane after accessing forbidden knowledge or write warning letters about their abstract discoveries. This, again, cannot be turned into a compelling 90-minute cinematic narrative.

Dredge works its way around this as well by featuring an active protagonist who serves as a fisherman. During his fishing endeavors, he ends up hearing eerie stories about deep sea creatures before eventually facing them in the dark waters. This gives the game’s upcoming adaptation a solid opportunity to have a more linear narrative than most Lovecraftian stories.

While some might argue that the game’s simplistic approach towards featuring Lovecraftian terrors chips away at its cosmic horror elements, it at least remains committed to capturing the genre’s sense of mystery and dread while still being accessible to the masses.

Dredge Isn’t The Only Lovecraftian Adaptation Horror Fans Can Look Forward To

Edward Pierce holding a lantern in Call of Cthulhu key art

James Wan is also reportedly working on a direct adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s The Call of Cthulhu. The director has discussed the challenges of selling the project, but he is determined to get it done because it has been his passion project for quite some time. Interestingly, one of Stephen King’s most Lovecraftian stories, The Mist, is also getting another movie adaptation.

In the past, The Mist has been adapted for both the big and small screens. While its TV adaptation struggled to leave its mark, the 2007 movie is still widely considered one of the best takes on King’s work. The new adaptation is being helmed by Mike Flanagan, which makes it even more exciting. However, considering how the project will mark Flanagan’s foray into pure cosmic horror, it is hard not to be carefully optimistic about the project.

While only time will tell how the three Lovecraftian horror adaptations will turn out, it is hard not to see how the horror subgenre is finally getting the appreciation it deserves. Hopefully, all three adaptations will prove to be successful and eventually pave the way for more direct adaptations of H.P. Lovecraft’s works.