Yann Demange will direct and executive produce the first episode of HBO's upcoming drama Lovecraft Country, from Oscar Winner Jordan Peele and Monkeypaw Productions. Peele will also be executive producing in conjunction with Green and Bad Robot's J.J. Abrams and Ben Stephenson.

The series' first episode, based on the book by Matt Ruff, is written by Misha Green. The plot tells the story of Atticus Turner, a 22 year old black veteran of the Korean War, as he sets off on a road trip across New England during the 1950s in search of his missing father. Atticus is joined on his journey by his Uncle George and friend Letitia, but while the goal is family reconciliation, the tale soon becomes one of horror and survival. Atticus and his companions find themselves trying to outrun monsters, both those of a racist Jim Crow-era America and the sort of beasts that could have shambled right out of Lovecraft's work.

Demange's previous work includes the Channel 4 series Top Boy, which was nominated for both Best Drama Serial and Best Director BAFTAS and won Best Drama Serial at the Royal Television Scoiety as well as the 2013 Broadcast awards. Other credits include Man in a Box, Dead Set and Criminal Justice, a five-part BBC series which was later reimagined by HBO as The Night Of.

Via: Deadline