Starz and FremantleMedia North America are deep into production on the 10-episode first season of American Gods, the adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed contemporary fantasy novel, and they are still adding major cast members. Variety is reporting that none other than The X-Files icon Gillian Anderson is coming onboard the show as Media, a sort of supernatural publicist for the New Gods who takes the form of different celebrities.
This will be a reunion for Anderson and executive producer Bryan Fuller, with whom she worked on Hannibal. Shooting on American Gods is currently underway 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. Also appearing 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).
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.
