This article provides a list of cultural references to the work of author H. P. Lovecraft. These references are collectively known as the Cthulhu Mythos. For works that are ''stylistically'' Lovecraftian, including comics and film adaptations influenced by Lovecraft, see

Lovecraftian horror Lovecraftian horror, sometimes used interchangeably with "cosmic horror", is a subgenre of horror fiction and weird fiction that emphasizes the horror of the unknowable and incomprehensible more than gore or other elements of shock. It is named a ...

Film

Films based on, or inspired by, the writings of H. P. Lovecraft include the following. *''

The Haunted Palace ''The Haunted Palace'' is a 1963 horror film released by American International Pictures, starring Vincent Price, Lon Chaney Jr. and Debra Paget (in her final film), in a story about a village held in the grip of a dead necromancer. The film wa ...

'' (1963), directed by

Roger Corman Roger William Corman (born April 5, 1926) is an American film director, producer, and actor. He has been called "The Pope of Pop Cinema" and is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works t ...

, starring

Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor, art historian, art collector and gourmet cook. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price has two stars on the Hollywood Wal ...

, and with

Lon Chaney Jr. Creighton Tull Chaney (February10, 1906 – July12, 1973), known by his stage name Lon Chaney Jr., was an American actor known for playing Larry Talbot in the film '' The Wolf Man'' (1941) and its various crossovers, Count Alucard (Dra ...

Marketed as "Edgar Allan Poe's ''The Haunted Palace''", the film is actually based on ''

The Case of Charles Dexter Ward ''The Case of Charles Dexter Ward'' is a short horror novel (51,500 words) by American writer H. P. Lovecraft, written in early 1927, but not published during the author's lifetime. Set in Lovecraft's hometown of Providence, Rhode Island, it w ...

'', and also includes elements taken from ''

The Shadow over Innsmouth ''The Shadow over Innsmouth'' is a horror novella by American author H. P. Lovecraft, written in November–December 1931. It forms part of the Cthulhu Mythos, using its motif of a malign undersea civilization, and references several shared e ...

'' and "

The Dunwich Horror "The Dunwich Horror" is a horror novella by American writer H. P. Lovecraft. Written in 1928, it was first published in the April 1929 issue of '' Weird Tales'' (pp. 481–508). It takes place in Dunwich, a fictional town in Massachusett ...

". *''

Die, Monster, Die! ''Die, Monster, Die!'' (British title: ''Monster of Terror'') is a 1965 science fiction horror film directed by Daniel Haller, and starring Boris Karloff, Nick Adams, Freda Jackson, and Suzan Farmer. Its plot follows an American man who, while ...

'' (1965), directed by Daniel Haller, and starring

Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film '' Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established ...

and Nick Adams. An adaptation of "

The Colour Out of Space "The Colour Out of Space" is a science fiction/horror short story by American author H. P. Lovecraft, written in March 1927. In the tale, an unnamed narrator pieces together the story of an area known by the locals as the "blasted heath" ...

". *''

Curse of the Crimson Altar ''Curse of the Crimson Altar'' is a 1968 British horror film directed by Vernon Sewell and starring Christopher Lee, Boris Karloff, Barbara Steele and Mark Eden. The film was produced by Louis M. Heyward for Tigon British Film Productions. Th ...

'' (1968), directed by

Vernon Sewell Vernon Campbell Sewell (4 July 1903 – 21 June 2001) was a British film director, writer, producer and, briefly, an actor. Sewell was born in London, England, and was educated at Marlborough College. He directed more than 30 films during his ...

, and starring Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee. Released in the U.S. as ''The Crimson Cult''. Loosely based on "

The Dreams in the Witch House "The Dreams in the Witch House" is a horror short story by American writer H. P. Lovecraft, part of the Cthulhu Mythos cycle. It was written in January/February 1932 and first published in the July 1933 issue of ''Weird Tales''. Plot Walter ...

. *''

'' (1970), directed by Daniel Haller, and starring

Sandra Dee Sandra Dee (born Alexandra Zuck; April 23, 1942 – February 20, 2005) was an American actress. Dee began her career as a child model, working first in commercials, and then film in her teenage years. Best known for her portrayal of ingén ...

Dean Stockwell Robert Dean Stockwell (March 5, 1936 – November 7, 2021) was an American actor with a career spanning seven decades. As a child actor under contract to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, he first came to the public's attention in films including ''Anchors A ...

, and

Ed Begley Edward James Begley Sr. (March 25, 1901 – April 28, 1970) was an American actor of theatre, radio, film, and television. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the film ''Sweet Bird of Youth'' (1962) and ...

. Based on the short story of the same name. *''

Re-Animator ''Re-Animator'' (also known as ''H. P. Lovecraft's Re-Animator'') is a 1985 American comedy horror film loosely based on the 1922 H. P. Lovecraft serial novelette "Herbert West–Reanimator". Directed by Stuart Gordon and produced by Brian Yuzn ...

'' (1985), directed by Stuart Gordon, and starring

Jeffrey Combs Jeffrey Alan Combs (born September 9, 1954) is an American actor. He is known for starring in horror films, such as ''Re-Animator'', and appearances playing a number of characters in the ''Star Trek'' and the DC animated universe television fr ...

Bruce Abbott Bruce Paul Abbott (born July 28, 1954) is an American film, stage, and television actor. Originally beginning his career in theater, Abbott later gained notoriety for his role as Dan Cain in the cult sci-fi horror films ''Re-Animator'' (1985) and ...

, Barbara Crampton, and

David Gale David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

. An adaptation of " Herbert West—Reanimator". *'' From Beyond'' (1986), directed by Stuart Gordon, and starring Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, and

Ken Foree Ken or KEN may refer to: Entertainment * ''Ken'' (album), a 2017 album by Canadian indie rock band Destroyer. * ''Ken'' (film), 1964 Japanese film. * ''Ken'' (magazine), a large-format political magazine. * Ken Masters, a main character in t ...

. Based on the short story of the same name. *'' The Curse'' (1987), directed by David Keith, and starring

Wil Wheaton Richard William Wheaton III (born July 29, 1972) is an American actor. He portrayed Wesley Crusher on the television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'', Gordie Lachance in the film '' Stand by Me'', Joey Trotta in '' Toy Soldiers'', ...

. Based on "

". *'' The Unnamable'' (1988), directed by Jean-Paul Ouellette and starring Mark Kinsey Stephenson. Based on the short story of the same name. *'' Bride of Re-Animator'' (1990), directed by

Brian Yuzna Brian Yuzna is an American producer, director, and writer. He is best known for his work in the science fiction and horror film genres. Yuzna began his career as a producer for several films by director Stuart Gordon, such as ''Re-Animator'' (1 ...

and starring Jeffrey Combs, Bruce Abbott, Claude Earl Jones, David Gale, and

Kathleen Kinmont Kathleen Kinmont (born Kathleen Kinmont Smith) is an American actress who starred in film and on television. Kinmont is best known for starring in horror films. Early years Kinmont is the daughter of Jack Smith. Career Her first feature film ...

. A sequel to ''Re-Animator'', it is also based on " Herbert West—Reanimator". *''

The Resurrected ''The Resurrected'' (also known as ''The Ancestor'' and ''Shatterbrain'') is a 1991 American horror film directed by Dan O'Bannon, and starring John Terry, Jane Sibbett, Chris Sarandon and Robert Romanus. It is an adaptation of the H. P. Lo ...

'' (1991), directed by

Dan O'Bannon Daniel Thomas O'Bannon (September 30, 1946 – December 17, 2009) was an American film screenwriter, director and visual effects supervisor, usually in the science fiction and horror genres. O'Bannon wrote the screenplay for '' Alien'', adap ...

and starring

John Terry John George Terry (born 7 December 1980) is an English professional football coach and former player who played as a centre-back. He was previously captain of Chelsea, the England national team and Aston Villa. He was most recently the a ...

Jane Sibbett Jane Moore Sibbett is an American actress. Her most notable roles include Heddy Newman on the Fox television series ''Herman's Head'' and Carol Willick on the television series ''Friends''. Early life Sibbett was born in Berkeley, California, th ...

, and

Chris Sarandon Christopher Sarandon (; born July 24, 1942) is an American actor. He is well known for playing a variety of iconic characters, including Jerry Dandrige in ''Fright Night'' (1985), Prince Humperdinck in ''The Princess Bride'' (1987), Detective Mik ...

. Based on ''

''. *'' Cast a Deadly Spell'' (1991), directed by

Martin Campbell Martin Campbell (born 24 October 1943) is a New Zealand film and television director based in the United Kingdom. He is known for having directed '' The Mask of Zorro'' as well as the James Bond films '' GoldenEye'' and '' Casino Royale''. He ...

and starring

Fred Ward Freddie Joe Ward (December 30, 1942 – May 8, 2022) was an American actor and producer. Starting with a role in an Italian television movie in 1973, he appeared in such diverse films as '' Escape from Alcatraz'', ''Southern Comfort'', '' The R ...

Julianne Moore Julie Anne Smith (born December 3, 1960), known professionally as Julianne Moore, is an American actress. Prolific in film since the early 1990s, she is particularly known for her portrayals of emotionally troubled women in independent films, ...

David Warner David or Dave Warner may refer to: Sports * Dave Warner (strongman) (born 1969), Northern Ireland strongman competitor * David Bruce Warner (born 1970), South African alpine skier * David Warner (cricketer) (born 1986), Australian cricketer Oth ...

, and

Clancy Brown Clarence John "Clancy" Brown III (born January 5, 1959) is an American actor. Prolific in film and television since the 1980s, Brown is often cast in villainous and authoritative roles. Brown's film roles include Viking Lofgren in ''Bad Boys'' ...

. An original story that combines the Cthulhu mythos with a film noir detective mystery. *'' The Unnamable II: The Statement of Randolph Carter'' (1992), directed by Jean-Paul Ouellette and starring Mark Kinsey Stephenson. The film combines story elements from " The Unnameable" and "

The Statement of Randolph Carter "The Statement of Randolph Carter" is a short story by American writer H. P. Lovecraft. Written in December 1919, it was first published in ''The Vagrant'', May 1920. It tells of a traumatic event in the life of Randolph Carter, a student of t ...

". *''

Necronomicon The ', also referred to as the ''Book of the Dead'', or under a purported original Arabic title of ', is a fictional grimoire (textbook of magic) appearing in stories by the horror writer H. P. Lovecraft and his followers. It was first men ...

'' (1993), an anthology of three stories based on "

The Rats in the Walls "The Rats in the Walls" is a short story by American author H. P. Lovecraft. Written in August–September 1923, it was first published in '' Weird Tales'', March 1924. Plot In 1923, an American named Delapore, the last descendant of the De la ...

", "

Cool Air "Cool Air" is a short story by the American horror fiction writer H. P. Lovecraft, written in March 1926 and published in the March 1928 issue of '' Tales of Magic and Mystery''. Plot The narrator offers a story to explain why a "draught of co ...

", and ''

The Whisperer in Darkness ''The Whisperer in Darkness'' is a 26,000-word novella by American writer H. P. Lovecraft. Written February–September 1930, it was first published in ''Weird Tales'', August 1931. Similar to '' The Colour Out of Space'' (1927), it is a blen ...

'', with a framing story featuring a fictionalized H. P. Lovecraft. *''

In the Mouth of Madness ''In the Mouth of Madness'' is a 1994 American supernatural horror film directed and scored by John Carpenter and written by Michael De Luca. It stars Sam Neill, Julie Carmen, Jürgen Prochnow, David Warner and Charlton Heston. Neill stars as ...

'' (1994), directed by

John Carpenter John Howard Carpenter (born January 16, 1948) is an American filmmaker, actor, and composer. Although he worked in various film genres, he is most commonly associated with horror, action, and science fiction films of the 1970s and 1980s. He ...

and starring

Sam Neill Sir Nigel John Dermot "Sam" Neill (born 14 September 1947) is a New Zealand actor. Neill's near-50 year career has included leading roles in both dramas and blockbusters. Considered an "international leading man", he has been regarded as one o ...

Julie Carmen Julie Carmen (born April 4, 1954) is an American actress, dancer and a licensed psychotherapist. She came to prominence onscreen in the 1980s, for her role in John Cassavetes' film, ''Gloria'' (1980), opposite Gena Rowlands. Acting Carmen was ...

, and

Jürgen Prochnow Jürgen Prochnow ( ; born 10 June 1941) is a German-American actor. His international breakthrough was his portrayal of the good-hearted and sympathetic U-boat Captain "Der Alte" ("Old Man") in the 1981 war film ''Das Boot''. He is also known f ...

, the film is set in the Cthulhu Mythos but is not derived from any Lovecraft work. Instead, it explores the insanity and the lines between reality and fantasy, much in the way that Lovecraft's 1936 novella ''

At the Mountains of Madness ''At the Mountains of Madness'' is a science fiction-horror novella by American author H. P. Lovecraft, written in February/March 1931 and rejected that year by ''Weird Tales'' editor Farnsworth Wright on the grounds of its length. It was or ...

'' does. *''

Castle Freak ''Castle Freak'' is a 1995 American direct-to-video horror film directed by Stuart Gordon. The film stars Jeffrey Combs as John Reilly, an American recovering alcoholic who inherits an Italian castle when a distant relative passes away. John s ...

'' (1995), directed by Stuart Gordon and starring Jeffrey Combs and Barbara Crampton. Inspired by " The Outsider". *''

Cthulhu Cthulhu is a fictional cosmic entity created by writer H. P. Lovecraft. It was first introduced in his short story " The Call of Cthulhu", published by the American pulp magazine ''Weird Tales'' in 1928. Considered a Great Old One within the p ...

'' (2000), a low-budget Australian production directed by Damian Heffernan. It combines elements of the 1931 novella ''

'' and the 1937 short story " The Thing on the Doorstep". *''

Dagon Dagon ( he, דָּגוֹן, ''Dāgōn'') or Dagan ( sux, 2= dda-gan, ; phn, 𐤃𐤂𐤍, Dāgān) was a god worshipped in ancient Syria across the middle of the Euphrates, with primary temples located in Tuttul and Terqa, though many attes ...

'' (2001), directed by Stuart Gordon and starring Ezra Godden,

Francisco Rabal Francisco Rabal Valera (8 March 1926 – 29 August 2001), better known as Paco Rabal, was a Spanish actor, director, and screenwriter born in Águilas, a town in the south-western part of the province of Murcia, Spain. Throughout his career, Raba ...

, and

Raquel Meroño Raquel Meroño Coello (born 8 August 1975) is a Spanish actress, presenter and businesswoman. She enjoyed popularity in Spain as television personality in the late 1990s to early 2000s. Biography Born on 8 August 1975 in Madrid, she early comb ...

. Based on ''

''. *''

Beyond Re-Animator ''Beyond Re-Animator'' is a 2003 horror film directed by Brian Yuzna and starring Jeffrey Combs, Jason Barry, Elsa Pataky, Simón Andreu and Santiago Segura. It is the third and final installment in the ''Re-Animator'' film series. An internat ...

'' (2003), directed by Brian Yuzna and starring Jeffrey Combs,

Jason Barry Jason Barry (born 14 December 1972) is an Irish actor best known for his portrayal of Tommy Ryan in the 1997 film '' Titanic''. He also starred in '' The Still Life'' for which he won numerous awards. Early life Jason Barry was born in Artane ...

, and

Elsa Pataky Elsa Lafuente Medianu (; born 18 July 1976), known professionally as Elsa Pataky, is a Spanish-Australian model and actress. Pataky is known for her role as Elena Neves in the ''Fast & Furious'' franchise. She has appeared in the films '' Snake ...

. The third movie of the ''Re-Animator'' trilogy, loosely based on " Herbert West—Reanimator". *''

The Call of Cthulhu "The Call of Cthulhu" is a short story by American writer H. P. Lovecraft. Written in the summer of 1926, it was first published in the pulp magazine ''Weird Tales'' in February 1928. Inspiration The first seed of the story's first chapter '' ...

'' (2005), a silent black-and-white featurette designed to look like it was released in the late 1920s, when the short story "

" was published. *''

'' (2007), directed by Daniel Gildark, and starring Jason Cottle,

Cara Buono Cara Buono (born 1973/1974) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Dr. Faye Miller in the fourth season of the AMC drama series ''Mad Men''; Kelli Moltisanti in the sixth season of ''The Sopranos''; Linda Salvo in the 200 ...

, and

Tori Spelling Victoria Davey Spelling (born May 16, 1973) is an American actress and author. Her first major role was Donna Martin on ''Beverly Hills, 90210'', beginning in 1990. She has appeared in made for television films, including '' A Friend to Die F ...

. Based on ''

''. *'' The Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu'' (2009), directed by Henry Saine, and starring Kyle Davis. A comedy horror film, with an original story set amidst the Chulthu Mythos. *''

'' (2011), a black-and-white film designed to look like it was released in the 1930s. Based on the short story of the same name. *'' Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom'' (2016), ''

Howard Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdom ''Howard Lovecraft and the Undersea Kingdom'' is a 2017 animated direct-to-video film based on the graphic novel of the same name. The inspiration comes from the writings of American horror author H. P. Lovecraft. The sequel to 2016 film '' Howar ...

'' (2017), and '' Howard Lovecraft and the Kingdom of Madness'' (2018) are animated movies that are based on graphic novels inspired by the writings of Lovecraft. *'' Color Out of Space'' (2020), directed by Richard Stanley and starring

Nicolas Cage Nicolas Kim Coppola (born January 7, 1964), known professionally as Nicolas Cage, is an American actor and film producer. Born into the Coppola family, he is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Gui ...

. Based on "

". *'' The Deep Ones'' (2020), an independent production directed by Chad Ferrin which provides an updated retelling of the 1931 Lovecraft novella ''

''.

Tabletop games

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Comics

* '' Abyssal Albion'' ongoing series set within a post-apocalypse where Cthulhu mythos creatures are real. * '' Fall of Cthulhu'' * '' Kodoja'' * ''

Neonomicon ''Neonomicon'' is a four-issue comic book limited series written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Jacen Burrows, published by American company Avatar Press in 2010. The story is a sequel to Moore's previous story ''Alan Moore's The Courtyard'' a ...

'' * ''Providence'' * The Marvel universe includes Lovecraftian horrors based on the Cthulhu mythos such as Shuma Gorath who is a part of the Many Angled ones. * The

DC universe The DC Universe (DCU) is the fictional shared universe where most stories in American comic book titles published by DC Comics take place. Superheroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Robin, Martian Manhunter, The Flash, Green Lant ...

also includes Lovecraftian horrors such as Starro, Anti-Monitor, and Nekron. * The

Hellboy Universe The Hellboy Universe is the fictional universe of the ''Hellboy'' comic and its various spinoffs, created by Mike Mignola. Its first appearance was in a black-and-white, four-page promotional comic by Mike Mignola with a script by John Byrne publis ...

also had some Lovecraftian horrors Like the Ogdru-Jahad and its offspring Ogdru-Hem * ''

Witchblade ''Witchblade'' is a comic book series published by Top Cow Productions, an imprint of Image Comics, which ran from November 1995 to October 2015. The series was created by Top Cow founder and owner Marc Silvestri, editor David Wohl, writers ...

'' and ''The Darkness'' feature the titular Darkness and its counterpart the Angeleus who mated to make the Witchblade. * ''邪神伝説クトゥルフの呼び声''/''Jashin densetsu Cthulhu no yobigoe'' is a Japanese manga illustrated by Yousuke Miyazaki. November 2009 * ''

Leviathan Leviathan (; he, לִוְיָתָן, ) is a sea serpent noted in theology and mythology. It is referenced in several books of the Hebrew Bible, including Psalms, the Book of Job, the Book of Isaiah, the Book of Amos, and, according to some ...

'', written by

Ian Edginton Ian Edginton is a British comic book writer, known for his work on such titles as ''X-Force'', '' Scarlet Traces'', '' H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds'' and ''Leviathan''. Career Ian Edginton is known for his steampunk/ alternate history wor ...

and drawn by D'Israeli, published in ''2000AD'' in 2003, tells of ship's architect William Ashbless who holds Hastur's soul imprisoned and uses it to power the huge ocean liner he has designed and built. *

Richard Corben Richard Corben (October 1, 1940December 2, 2020) was an American illustrator and comic book artist best known for his comics featured in '' Heavy Metal'' magazine, especially the ''Den'' series which was featured in the magazine's first film ada ...

's ''Neverwhere'' (1978) has a god ''Uhluhtc'', Cthulhu spelled backwards.

Other

* The 153rd episode of the ''

Thrilling Adventure Hour ''The Thrilling Adventure Hour'' was a staged production and podcast in the style of old time radio that was held monthly at Largo, a Los Angeles nightclub located in the former Coronet Theatre. The show ran from March 2005 to April 2015. Each ...

'' podcast features an episode titled "When Cthulu Cthalls", which was recorded on September 7, 2013 and released on February 17, 2014. The episode is part of the "Beyond Belief" series and features stars Frank and Sadie Doyle protecting their friend's baby from chipper cultists and an entity only referred to as "The Old One". The Old One/Cthulhu is voiced by '' Parks and Recreation'' star

Jim O'Heir Jim O'Heir (born February 4, 1962) is an American actor and comedian, perhaps best known for portraying Jerry Gergich on the NBC sitcom '' Parks and Recreation''. O'Heir first became active in Chicago theater and improv during the late 1980s ...

. * Miskatonic Brewing Company is a brewpub in

Darien, Illinois Darien is a city in DuPage County, Illinois, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 22,011. A southwestern suburb of Chicago, Darien was named after the town of Darien, Connecticut. Darien is just north of I-55 and Historic U.S. ...

. It is named after the Miskatonic River and

Miskatonic University Miskatonic University is a fictional university located in Arkham, a fictional town in Essex County, Massachusetts. It is named after the Miskatonic River (also fictional). After first appearing in H. P. Lovecraft's 1922 story " Herbert West–Re ...

in Arkham, Massachusetts, which are fictional settings for some of Lovecraft's stories. * The

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...

podcast series ''

The Lovecraft Investigations ''The Lovecraft Investigations'' is a mystery thriller/ horror fiction podcast created, written and directed by Julian Simpson, based on several works of H. P. Lovecraft. Produced by Karen Rose and Sweet Talk Productions for BBC Radio 4, t ...

'' (2019–2020) is a modern-day adaptation of ''

'', '' Whisperer in Darkness'', and ''

''.

References

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See also

References