American Gods author and comics visionary Neil Gaiman will be taking on a bigger role in advising the TV adaptation’s yet-to-be named showrunner come Season 2 of the hit Starz series. The show is without one after the debut season’s showrunners, Bryan Fuller and Michael Green, left due to creative differences with the series’ production house, FreemantleMedia.
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Starz CEO, Chris Albrecht, updated the search for a replacement at a Television Critics’ Association panel during the winter press tour, hinting that Gaiman was being eyed. “Neil Gaiman will be moving into a more traditional showrunner function,” Albrecht said according to /Film. “We’re looking for a partner for him to ensure the television part of this gets the appropriate attention.”
However, Gaiman quickly stepped in on Twitter to clarify he wouldn’t be taking over, but just advising, as he’s already showrunning Good Omens. “I’m already showrunning GOOD OMENS and I won’t be physically showrunning two shows. But I plan to work really closely with the new showrunner, and to help plot and guide and build American Gods, just as I did when Bryan & Michael came on as showrunners,” Gaiman indicated.
I’m already showrunning GOOD OMENS and I won’t be physically showrunning two shows. But I plan to work really closely with the new showrunner, and to help plot and guide and build American Gods, just as I did when Bryan & Michael came on as showrunners.
— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) January 12, 2018
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Starz later confirmed Gaiman’s role with a representative telling Vulture that while the network wants Gaiman in a larger capacity next season, Freemantle is indeed searching for a new person as showrunner “to partner with Neil — as he was a partner to Bryan and Michael.”
Airing on the Starz Network on Sundays at 9pm E/P, American Gods was originally developed for television by Bryan Fuller and Michael Green and stars Ricky Whittle as Shadow Moon, Emily Browning as Laura Moon, Crispin Glover as Mr. World, Bruce Langley as Technical Boy, Yetide Badaki as Bilquis, Pablo Schreiber as Mad Sweeney and Ian McShane as Mr. Wednesday.