Neil Gaiman's American Gods IS Coming to television

The adaptation of American Gods for television by Neil himself [aka Neil Gaiman] is back on with a script-to-series commitment from STARZ. HBO was looking at it but ultimately passed. Word is the script will be written by 'Neil himself' with help from writer/producers Bryan Fuller (Hannibal) and Michael Green (The River, Heroes). The acclaimed author will also take an executive producer title. I'm kinda shocked HBO passed as the meaty material sounds like its cup o' tea! 

According to the press release, the story in the award winning novel centers on a war brewing between old and new gods: the traditional gods of biblical and 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 for a battle with the new deities.  

And as Neil Gaiman fans know, the novel has a devoted following, a very devoted following. As Neil himself says -

"When you create something like American Gods, which attracts fans and obsessives and people who tattoo quotes from it on themselves or each other, and who all, tattooed or not, just care about it deeply, it's really important to pick your team carefully. You don't want to let the fans down, or the people who care and have been casting it online since the dawn of recorded history," Gaiman said.

 A real fan rocking a real tattoo, shared by Neil Gaiman on his tumblr

"What I love most about the team whom 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 people at Fremantle are the kinds of people who have copies of American Gods in the bottom of their backpacks after going around the world, and who press them on their friends. And the team at Starz has been quite certain that they wanted to give Shadow, Wednesday and Laura a home since they first heard that the book was out there. I can't wait to see what they do to bring the story to the widest possible audience able to cope with it."

Are you ready?