Starz takes Gaiman’s Gods to series

US cable channel Starz has taken Neil Gaiman’s urban fantasy drama American Gods to series.

The FremantleMedia North America-produced series is based on Gaiman’s cult 2001 comic about the roots of a war between Earth’s traditional mythical gods and a new group of deities that reflect a society of money, technology, media, celebrity and drugs.

It follows Shadow Moon, a former convict who goes on a cross-country mission with god Mr. Wednesday to gather forces in preparation for battle.

Heroes producers Bryan Fuller and Michael Green will write and showrun the series, whose start of production is dependent on the casting of Shadow Moon.

“With our partners at FremantleMedia and with Bryan, Michael and Neil guiding the project, we hope to create a series that honors the book and does right by the fans, who have been casting it in their minds for years,” said Starz CEO Chris Albrecht. “The search for Shadow begins today.”

Crag Cegielski, the new co-CEO of FMNA (pictured), described American Gods as a “passion project for us”, while Gaiman said he was “thrilled, ‎scared, delighted, nervous and a ball of glorious anticipation” following the season order.

Cegielski and Stefanie Berk, who brought the property to FMNA, will executive produce along with Fuller, Green and Gaiman. Ken Segna will be Starz’s executive in charge.