Back in June it was announced that Starz has given the green light to an adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods from Bryan Fuller (Hannibal) and Michael Green’s (Heroes), and Fuller has been speaking to Collider about the upcoming series and how they plan to adapt the source material.
SEE ALSO: Bryan Fuller and Neil Gaiman share concept art from American Gods TV series
“We’re only doing part of the book in the first season,” states Fuller. “The book is the Reader’s Digest version. Everything is expanded. We’re making room for more story. We learned a lot of lessons about adaptation doing Red Dragon and Hannibal. There are characters in the book, like Bilquis, who you see for one chapter, and then you see her at the end, real quick. She’s got a huge arc and is a very important character for the show. Laura is a huge character for the show. There is an opportunity for representing culturally ethnic diversity that is authentic, so that you don’t get into conversations about whitewashing characters. There are going to be so many characters represented. The only character that we’re really color-blind with casting is Laura because everybody else is culturally specific and they have to be authentic to how that culture looks. Mr. Ibis and Mr. Jaquel have to look like they belong in ancient Egypt. Not Middle Eastern Egypt, but black Egypt. So, that’s exciting. I’m always jealous of The Walking Dead for having such a diverse cast that’s so organic. We’re going to give them a run for their money, in terms of diversity… We haven’t cast anybody on American Gods, but I’m terrified because I can’t imagine how it could be better than it was with [the Hannibal cast].”
SEE ALSO: Neil Gaiman to write episodes of American Gods
Be sure to head on over to Collider to read the rest of the interview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=WWU57JuvPl0
Originally published December 13, 2015. Updated March 1, 2020.
