Brit author Neil Gaiman is set to shepherd his much-loved novel American Gods onto TV screens in 2013.
Though as recently as March this year Gaiman was talking about Gods being turned into a movie , the author has struck a deal with co-producers Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman and their production company Playtone.
American Gods is being planned as a six season TV show, with each season consisting of 10-12 hour-long episodes.
The budget’s nothing to be sniffed at either, with each season given a money bag containing $35-40m. Nothing compared to The Pacific ’s $225m, but way above anything else on network television.
“There are some crazy things in [American Gods],” says Goetzman, justifying that budget. “We’ll probably be doing more effects in there than it’s been done on a television series.”
Gaiman’s novel unites modern mythology with Americana and fantasy, with a story that revolves around ex-convict Shadow.
He’s released from prison after the death of his wife, and takes a job as an agent for Mr Wednesday, the avatar of the Norse god Grimnir.
Gaiman will executive produce and write an undisclosed portion of the TV series, which is expected to air on HBO in 2013.