or


[07/01/14 - 12:27 PM]
Starz Developing "American Gods" from FremantleMedia North America
The pilot script will be penned by Bryan Fuller and Michael Green, who will also showrun the series.

[via press release from Starz]

STARZ DEVELOPING "AMERICAN GODS" FROM FREMANTLEMEDIA NORTH AMERICA

Bryan Fuller and Michael Green to serve as showrunners on the new scripted drama series

Beverly Hills, Calif. (July 1, 2014) - Starz has announced a script to series development of FremantleMedia North America's (FMNA) adaptation of Neil Gaiman's acclaimed urban fantasy novel "American Gods." The pilot script will be penned by Bryan Fuller ("Hannibal," "Pushing Daisies," "Heroes") and Michael Green ("The River," "Kings," "Heroes"), who will also showrun the series. They will executive produce along with Gaiman. FremantleMedia North America will produce the series.

Starz Managing Director Carmi Zlotnik said, "'American Gods' is a project that deserves to be made. With our partners at FremantleMedia and with Bryan, Michael and Neil, we believe we can create a series that honors the book and does right by the fans and viewers."

Commented Neil Gaiman, "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."

Thom Beers, CEO, FremantleMedia North America said, "'Neil Gaiman's 'American Gods' is pure genius and we couldn't be more thrilled to bring this classic to life on screen. Craig Cegielski and Stefanie Berk have put together a dream team with Fuller and Green joining Gaiman on this amazing journey. Coupled with Starz' shared passion for this project, we're confident this combination will raise the bar for drama."

Commented Bryan 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."

The 2001 novel has been translated into over 30 languages and earned numerous accolades including Hugo, Nebula and Bram Stoker Awards for Best Novel. The plot posits a war brewing between old and new gods: the traditional gods of biblical and mythological roots from around the world steadily losing believers to an upstart pantheon of gods reflecting society's modern love of money, technology, media, celebrity and drugs. Its protagonist, Shadow Moon, is an ex-con who becomes bodyguard and traveling partner to Mr. Wednesday, a conman but in reality one of the older gods, on a cross-country mission to gather his forces in preparation to battle the new deities.

FremantleMedia North America's Thom Beers, Craig Cegielski and Stefanie Berk will executive produce the series along with Bryan Fuller, Michael Green and Neil Gaiman. Vice President of Original Programming Ken Segna will be the Starz executive in charge of "American Gods." Starz will retain all network pay TV and SVOD rights to the project. FremantleMedia will distribute the series worldwide.

"American Gods" is part of the rich scripted slate that has been growing at FremantleMedia North America since CEO Thom Beers appointed Craig Cegielski as Executive Vice President, Scripted Programming, and Stefanie Berk, Senior Vice President, Scripted Programming in June 2013. The company is currently in production on their cable scripted series, "The Returned."

About Starz

Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television channels (Starz Networks), global content distribution (Starz Distribution) and animated television and movie production (Starz Animation), www.starz.com.

Starz Networks is a leading provider of premium subscription video programming through the flagship STARZ(R) and ENCORE(R) pay TV networks which showcase premium original programming and movies to U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies. As of March 31, 2014, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 56.3 million subscribers, including 21.9 million at STARZ, and 34.4 million at ENCORE, making them the largest pair of premium flagship channels in the U.S. STARZ(R) and ENCORE(R), along with Starz Networks' third network MOVIEPLEX(R), air over 1,000 movies monthly across 17 linear networks, complemented by On Demand and authenticated online offerings through STARZ PLAY, ENCORE PLAY, and MOVIEPLEX PLAY. Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires entertainment content, distributing it to consumers globally on DVD, digital formats and traditional television. Starz Distribution's home video, digital media and worldwide distribution business units distribute original programming content produced by Starz, as well as entertainment content for itself and third parties. Starz Animation produces animated TV and movie content for studios, networks, distributors and audiences worldwide.

About FremantleMedia North America

FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) is the U.S. arm of global media giant FremantleMedia, which includes a distribution arm, FremantleMedia International, a digital and branded entertainment division and a kids & family entertainment business. As one of the world's largest and most successful creators, producers and distributors of TV brands in the world, FremantleMedia's comprehensive global network has operations in 28 countries, creating over 8500 hours of programming a year, rolling out more than 60 formats and managing over 400 individual titles. The company also distributes more than 20,000 hours of content in over 200 territories. FMNA and its portfolio of companies, including Original Productions and 495 Productions, produce entertaining and innovative scripted and alternative programs for network, cable, syndicated and online platforms. Their slate includes the upcoming "The Returned" (A&E) and "Celebrity Name Game" (SYN), as well as a diverse range of both critically-acclaimed and award-winning successes including "American Idol" (FOX), "America's Got Talent" (NBC), "Family Feud" (SYN), "Let's Make A Deal" (CBS), "The Price Is Right" (CBS), "The Great Christmas Light Fight" (ABC), "Deadliest Catch" (Discovery), "Party Down South" (CMT), "Ice Road Truckers" (HISTORY) and "Storage Wars" (A&E) among others.





  [july 2014]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· AMERICAN GODS (STARZ)





[08/28/25 - 10:06 AM]
ESPN Unveils Deep Roster of NBA Game Commentators for 2025-26 Season
Veteran analyst Tim Legler will join ESPN's lead NBA broadcast team, which includes Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame broadcaster Mike Breen, analyst and NBA Champion Richard Jefferson and reporter Lisa Salters.

[08/28/25 - 10:05 AM]
HBO Original Two-Part Documentary "Seen & Heard: The History of Black Television" Debuts September 9
The project takes audiences on a two-part journey through the history of Black representation on television, showcasing how Black artists and creators both shaped and revolutionized the medium while confronting the systemic challenges that have often undermined their contributions.

[08/28/25 - 10:01 AM]
Video: National Geographic Documentary Films Unveils Trailer for "Lost in the Jungle," the Unbelievable Story of Four Indigenous Children Who Survived a Plane Crash in the Amazon, Ahead of World Premiere at Telluride Film Festival
For the first time ever, the four Indigenous children who survived the Colombian plane crash on May 1, 2023 - and then endured 40 days alone in the jungle - share their extraordinary story of survival, told in their own words.

[08/28/25 - 09:38 AM]
Video: Tubi Debuts Trailer for Stand-Up Comedy Special "Rel Talk" from Lil Rel Howery
"It feels amazing to bring this special to my city, my people, and now to the millions of folks watching on Tubi," said Howery.

[08/28/25 - 09:35 AM]
Families Confront Long-Held Truths in Their Quest for Healing in OWN's Powerful New Six-Part Documentary Series "Unlocked: Family Secrets" Premiering Saturday, September 27
Each episode features a different family sharing their personal stories of hidden secrets that have shaped and, in some cases, fractured their lives.

[08/28/25 - 09:08 AM]
A New Chapter Comes with Fresh Reads When "The Real Housewives of Potomac" Returns for a Milestone Tenth Season Sunday, Oct. 5 at 8 P.M. ET/PT on Bravo
Returning this season are housewives, Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby, Wendy Osefo, Stacey Rusch and Keiarna Stewart.

[08/28/25 - 09:06 AM]
ABC News Studios Announces Season 3 of Hit Docuseries "Betrayal," Based on the No. 1 True Crime Podcast, Streaming Tuesday, Sept. 2, Only on Hulu
"Betrayal: Under His Eye" follows Stacey, a single mother whose whirlwind romance with charming physician Dr. Justin Rutherford seemed like a dream come true.

[08/28/25 - 09:01 AM]
Leanne Morgan's Highly Anticipated Netflix Special, "Unspeakable Things," Premieres Globally on Netflix on November 4
Since the start of 2023, Leanne's special "I'm Every Woman" is Netflix's most viewed stand up from a female comedian globally.

[08/28/25 - 09:01 AM]
Prime Video Announces September 25 Premiere Date for "Cocaine Quarterback: Signal-Caller for the Cartel"
This three-part docuseries explores the rise and fall of Redondo Beach native Owen Hanson, from walk-on to the National Championship-winning USC football team to cocaine kingpin for one of the world's most dangerous cartels.

[08/28/25 - 08:02 AM]
Video: "Juan Gabriel: I Must, I Can, I Will" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Rare videos and exclusive interviews reveal the genius, sacrifices and duality between the public and private lives of iconic singer-songwriter Juan Gabriel.

[08/28/25 - 08:02 AM]
Video: MGM+ Unveils Premiere Date and Teaser for Reimagined "Robin Hood" Series
The 10-episode series will launch with a special two-episode premiere on Sunday, November 2 at 9:00 PM ET/PT on MGM+ in the U.S. with episodes releasing weekly leading up to the season finale on Sunday, December 28.

[08/28/25 - 08:02 AM]
Emmy-Nominated Series "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" Returns to Hulu this Fall!
Season three premieres on November 13 with all 10 episodes on Hulu domestically and on Disney+ in select international markets.

[08/28/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Ruth & Boaz" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A talented singer leaves the Atlanta music scene and starts over in small-town Tennessee, where she finds love and new purpose but can't escape the past.

[08/28/25 - 07:04 AM]
"Tales From The Ryder Cup in Partnership with Rolex" - Original Golf Channel Films Three-Part Docuseries - Debuts Sunday, August 31, at 5 P.M. ET on NBC and Peacock
"Tales From The Ryder Cup's" in-depth storytelling features more than 40 interviews with current and former Ryder Cup captains and players discussing the pressure and passion surrounding the biennial event.

[08/28/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Countdown: Canelo vs. Crawford" - Official Trailer - Netflix
Go inside Canelo Álvarez and Terence Crawford's training camps and personal lives as they prepare for their must-see super middleweight boxing match.