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[LordOfLore]

Link.

Yesterday at SXSW in Austin, Texas, a packed house gathered to worship gods that will beat you up, get you drunk and sex you into oblivion. If the first episode of the TV adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s beloved novel American Gods is any indication, the masses will be showing up to give their love again and again.

The screening of American Gods began with a video message from Gaiman, who wasn’t in attendance. The award-winning author expressed his excitement at producers how Bryan Fuller and Michael Green translated the 16-year-old novel for series television.

Whittle does a good job of communicating the quiet, roiling unease inside of Shadow as his life falls apart around him and surreal dream sequences generate a sense of foreboding that teases potent. He plays well of McShane, recreating the wary odd-couple dynamic between the two characters. Yetide Bataki imbues Bilquis with a weary sexiness that seemed appropriately ancient and dangerous. The sonic backdrop for the shows leaned heavy on blues and jazz, intertwining the two American musical forms around scenes of tragedy, fisticuffs and trickery.

As to be expected for a premium cable ongoing series, this version of American Gods has been slathered in blood and sex-sweat. But the original iteration of this story had bodily fluids aplenty, too, and the pilot still harbored the literary mythological underpinnings that generate the symbolism and meaning crucial to Gaiman’s successful endeavors. In a Q&A session that followed the screening—snippets of which can be found below— Fuller remarked on the changed political landscape, saying “we are now telling massive immigration stories in a climate that vilifies immigrants.”

Orlando Jones, late of Sleepy Hollow, will be playing African trickster god Mr. Nancy and talked about the excitement and responsibility he felt at playing a character that invoked the cunning that the African slaves needed to survive after being bought to America into slavery. He also freaked out hilariously after seeing the Bilquis scene. “I just saw a woman suck a whole man into her vagina. I’m not ready.” He and the rest of the world will have some time to prepare their sacrifices and burnt offerings. American Gods premieres on Starz on April 30th.

Way more at the link. Send me to America if old.

 

[caliph95]

Is a Neil Gaiman adaptation made by Bryan Fuller. It's already on my list.

 

[Spuck-uk]

It's an adaption of Neil Gaimans best novel. I was in from the moment it was announced.

Ian McShane only cemented my need for this.

 

[Vincent Grayson]

I'm one of those weird Gaiman fans who doesn't really like American Gods. But I am interested in the show, as I suspect I'll enjoy it in this format.

 

[Kain]

Fuller is the showrunner? Ok I'm in

 

[Rudimental]

16-years, damn.

I remember when a friend of mine in publishing lent me a copy before it was in distribution in my country.

 

[T.O.P]

As soon as i heard that Fuller was on this i was sold tbh

 

[Keen]

April 30th, can't wait!

 

[Rimon-hanit]

It's an adaption of Neil Gaimans best novel. I was in from the moment it was announced.

Ian McShane only cemented my need for this.

Nah man, the BBC are doing Anansi Boys

 

[Indrid Cold1]

Didn't know they were making this, who is playing

Spoiler

Baldur

and

Spoiler

Odin

?

Just thought on to edit in spoiler tags, soz.

 

[wetflame]

April 30th, can't wait!

My birthday! Really need to give the book a re-read, I have a signed copy at home that I just haven't been able to bring myself to go through since the first time around. I enjoyed it a lot, and it's a great story, but there were a few story beats that made me feel pretty uncomfortable at the time. I think I'm ready for another go around though.

This, and Good Omens getting adaptations is fantastic stuff.

 

[metsallica]

Argh. I don't want Starz.

 

[Jintor]

I'm one of those weird Gaiman fans who doesn't really like American Gods. But I am interested in the show, as I suspect I'll enjoy it in this format.

it never really worked for me as a novel, but i think it'll do great as a series.

consider me interested.

 

[Gattsu25]

I was introduced to Gaiman through Anansi Boys (which I really enjoyed) and followed that up by reading American Gods.

I've been looking forward to this show for a while.

 

[Slayven]

I was introduced to Gaiman through Anansi Boys (which I really enjoyed) and followed that up by reading American Gods.

I've been looking forward to this show for a while.

I love Anasi Boys, but found American Gods a slog to get through

 

[Temp_User]

I love Anasi Boys, but found American Gods a slog to get through

Absatively! I hope Mr.Nancy and his boys received a big screen treatment too.

 

[Lord Frieza]

Argh. I don't want Starz.

Submit

 

[caliph95]

Guess i should get around reading Anansi Boys after liking AG couple of years ago

Submit

 

[Corpekata]

I am amazed they did the Bilquis scene, figured it would be something either too hard to do or deemed too silly in a visual medium. So they must be going all out.

 

[LewieP]

I love that Jeremy Davies is cast in this as Jesus. An actor I once described to someone as "that guy from Lost who looks like Jesus".

He's probably one of my favourite actors. He's phenomenal in Justified, Hannibal, Helter Skelter and Rescue Dawn. Glad to see Fuller reunite with him (and Gillian Anderson & Jonathan Tucker).

Rest of the cast is strong too. Ian McShane, Peter Stormare, Emily Browning, Crispin Glover. I don't like Dane Cook at all but eh.

 

[Bebpo]

Nah man, the BBC are doing Anansi Boys

Whaaaaaaaaat?

 

[Alligatorjandro]

Man I can't wait for this show

 

[Spuck-uk]

Nah man, the BBC are doing Anansi Boys

I like Anansi boys a lot, but AG is so much more..expansive? BBC definitely picking the one that's an easier adaptation for them to make without a huge budget there.

 

[Rimon-hanit]

I like Anansi boys a lot, but AG is so much more..expansive? BBC definitely picking the one that's an easier adaptation for them to make without a huge budget there.

And I like a AG but Anansi boys is much more fluid and engaging. I get what your saying AG definitely as a bigger chance for a visual showcase especially with fuller at the helm, but novel to novel, I don't think Gaiman ever topped Anansi Boys (didn't read all of is kid novels yet).

 

[Gattsu25]

I love Anasi Boys, but found American Gods a slog to get through

Yeah, the more I think about it the more I'm with you.

I didn't hate AG by any means but I definitely enjoyed Anansi Boys a lot more.

 

[Ravensmash]

I need to read American Gods again.... Right now.

I only read it a few months back but there's so much I've forgotten but that trailer is aweeesome and looks quite true to how I imagined things.

Please tell me it's got a UK deal

 

[Einchy]

The trailer was pretty meh but the description of the show and what it's about sounds pretty damn cool.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Argh. I don't want Starz.

They've got some good shit bruh