Almost a year ago, it was announced that the Starz network had ordered development of a television series based on award-winning author Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed modern fantasy novel American Gods. Fans were cautiously optimistic about the news, but now it looks like the project will indeed make it past the development stage thanks to official confirmation that American Gods has been green-lit by the network.
While there’s no date set for the cameras to begin rolling, the network’s official statement on the project indicates that production will begin after casting for the lead role is finalized.
Originally published in 2001, American Gods follows a mysterious ex-convict named Shadow Moon who finds himself caught up in the early stages of a war between the old gods of biblical and mythological origin and the new gods of modern society: corporations, technology, media, and celebrity. Both types of “gods” have essentially been given form in the novel’s universe.
The novel has been translated into more than 30 languages and won a long list of awards, including some of the highest accolades bestowed upon fiction and fantasy novels.
“I am thrilled, scared, delighted, nervous and a ball of glorious anticipation,” said Gaiman of the news in a statement accompanying the announcement. “The team that is going to bring the world of American Gods to the screen has been assembled like the master criminals in a caper movie: I’m relieved and confident that my baby is in good hands. Now we finally move to the exciting business that fans have been doing for the last dozen years: casting our Shadow, our Wednesday, our Laura…”
First announced back in February 2014, an adaptation of American Gods had been rumored long before the project began to gain steam, but it gained considerable momentum last July when Starz picked up the project. Along with Gaiman serving as an executive producer, the series will be co-written by Bryan Fuller (Hannibal, Pushing Daisies) and Michael Green (The River, Heroes), who will also serve as showrunners. The series is being produced by FremantleMedia.
“Almost 15 years ago, Neil Gaiman filled a toy box with gods and magic and we are thrilled to finally crack it open and play,” said Fuller and Green in a joint statement. “We’re grateful to have Starz above us and FremantleMedia at our backs as we appease the gods, American or otherwise.”
There’s no word yet on when the series is expected to premiere.
