Once again, an adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods is in the works.
Much like Gaiman’s Sandman and Good Omens, the idea of an American Gods movie or TV series is a perennial rumor. Back in 2011, things seemed promising when Gaiman announced that it had been picked up by HBO, but by 2013 that plan had fallen through.
The latest development is that an American Gods series is in the works at Starz, with Bryan Fuller and Michael Green attached as showrunners.
Gaiman said in a press release, “When you create something like American Gods, which attracts fans and obsessives and people who tattoo quotes from it on themselves or each other… it’s really important to pick your team carefully: you don’t want to let the fans down. What I love most about the team who I trust to take it out to the world, is that they are the same kind of fanatics that American Gods has attracted since the start. I haven’t actually checked Bryan Fuller or Michael Green for quote tattoos, but I would not be surprised if they have them.”
The idea of Bryan Fuller working on American Gods is surely a good sign for fans of the book. Following on from Hannibal, Pushing Daisies and Dead Like Me, Gaiman’s brand of modern-day fantasy and sly humor seems like a perfect fit.
Michael Green’s most famous projects are Heroes and Smallville, but anyone who is concerned about the possibility of an angsty, teen-oriented American Gods adaptation should look no further than the show Green created himself: Kings. This quasi-Biblical political fantasy series was cancelled after only one season, but has since achieved a cult following, particularly over the last few months when Captain America fans were working their way through Sebastian Stan’s IMDb resume.
It’s not clear how this will affect Bryan Fuller’s Hannibal, if at all. The show was renewed for a third season, but if Fuller is co-running American Gods with Michael Green, he may not have time to work on both shows at once.
Here’s hoping that the Gaiman adaptation curse doesn’t strike again, and that American Gods actually makes it to TV this time.
Photo by Kyle Cassidy/Wikimedia Commons
