A few weeks ago, we learned the unfortunate reasoning behind HBO's decision to pass on the long-gestating adaptation of Neil Gaiman's 'American Gods,' somewhat dashing hope of the series ever getting made. Now, the 'American Gods' have found new life under development from Starz, with 'Hannibal' creator Bryan Fuller and 'Heroes'' Michael Green at the helm.

For those unfamiliar with ‘Sandman‘ creator Gaiman’s work, ‘American Gods’ follows ex-convict Shadow Moon, who partners up with mysterious con-man Mr. Wednesday (secretly a god himself), becoming embroiled in a battle between classic mythological gods who have fallen out of style, and the “new” American gods based on greed, technology and celebrity. A few years ago, HBO had in mind to develop the drama with Tom Hanks‘ Playtone, though the project eventually bottomed out.

Under the new Starz arrangement with FremantleMedia North America, Bryan Fuller and Michael Green will write the pilot script and showrun the series, executive producing along with Gaiman. For the moment at least, it isn't clear what Fuller's involvement with 'American Gods' will mean for his particularly active showrunning on NBC's 'Hannibal,' currently renewed for a third season.

Said Gaiman of the surprising announcement:

When you create something like ‘American Gods,’ which attracts fans and obsessives and people who tattoo quotes from it on themselves or each other, and who all, tattooed or not, just care about it deeply, it's really important to pick your team carefully: you don't want to let the fans down, or the people who care and have been casting it online since the dawn of recorded history. What I love most about the team who I trust to take it out to the world, is that they are the same kind of fanatics that ’American Gods’ has attracted since the start. I haven't actually checked Bryan Fuller or Michael Green for quote tattoos, but I would not be surprised if they have them.

The people at Fremantle are the kinds of people who have copies of ‘American Gods in the bottom of their backpacks after going around the world, and who press them on their friends. And the team at Starz have been quite certain that they wanted to give Shadow, Wednesday and Laura a home since they first heard that the book was out there.I can't wait to see what they do to bring the story to the widest possible audience able to cope with it.

Added Fuller:

Neil Gaiman has created the holiest of holy toy boxes with ‘American Gods’ and filled it with all manner of magical thing, born of new gods and old. Michael Green and I are thrilled to crack this toy box wide open and unleash the fantastical titans of heaven and earth and Neil's vividly prolific imagination.

Quite a bit to take in, but what say you? Are you excited to see Neil Gaiman's 'American Gods' finally brought to life on Starz, even if it interferes with Bryan Fuller's role on 'Hannibal'? How would you like to see the mythical drama realized onscreen for the very first time?

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