Starz and FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) began production this week on the 10-episode first season of American Gods, the adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed contemporary fantasy novel. Shooting has commenced in Toronto, Canada and will continue in additional locations across America.
The cast includes Ricky Whittle (The 100) as Shadow Moon, Ian McShane (Deadwood) as Mr. Wednesday, Emily Browning (Sucker Punch) as Laura Moon, Sean Harris (The Borgias) as Mad Sweeney, Yetide Badaki (Aquarius) as Bilquis, Bruce Langley (Deadly Waters) as Technical Boy, Crispin Glover (Back to the Future) as Mr World, and Jonathan Tucker (Kingdom) as Low Key Lyesmith.
Joining the previously announced cast are Cloris Leachman (Malcom in The Middle, Raising Hope), Peter Stormare (Fargo, Prison Break), Chris Obi (Snow White and the Huntsman, The Counselor), and Mousa Kraish (Superbad, Fast & Furious).
Leachman plays Zorya Vechernyaya, the eldest of three sisters who watch over the constellations, guarding against horrors forgotten by modern man. Once accustomed to royal status, the sisters have learned to survive on far less in a country that has no memory of them.
Stormare plays Czernobog. A Slavic god of darkness and evil, Czernobog is reluctant to join the coming war, wary of Wednesday’s motivations.
Obi plays Anubis, the commanding ancient Egyptian god of the dead, gently guiding mortals through the judgment of their souls.
Kraish will play The Jinn, a mythical creature of the fire who understands a person’s deepest desires better than they do. He fears for his safety with the coming war, and considers fleeing America.
The plot of American Gods posits a war brewing between old and new gods: the traditional gods of mythological roots from around the world steadily losing believers to an upstart pantheon of gods reflecting society’s modern love of money, technology, media, celebrity and drugs. Its protagonist, Shadow Moon, is an ex-con who becomes bodyguard and traveling partner to Mr. Wednesday, a conman but in reality one of the older gods, on a cross-country mission to gather his forces in preparation to battle the new deities.
American Gods is produced by FremantleMedia North America. Bryan Fuller (Hannibal, Pushing Daisies) and Michael Green (The River, Kings) serve as writers and showrunners. David Slade (Hannibal, 30 Days of Night) is directing the pilot and additional episodes. FMNA’s Craig Cegielski and Stefanie Berk are executive producing the series along with Fuller, Green, Slade and Neil Gaiman.
