HBO started kicking the tires of Neil Gaiman’s novel American Gods back in April as a possible series to be produced by Playtone’s Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, with Gaiman on board as writer and executive producer. Goetzman revealed details this weekend to THR: Playtone is planning six season of 10-12 hourlong episodes with a budget of $35-40 million each season. American Gods will premiere in 2013 at the earliest.
That’s a lot of money for a weekly series — minimally $3 million per episode, more than most broadcast shows. Playtone is used to the Daddy Warbucks treatment from HBO — the network reportedly budgeted The Pacific around $225 million (over $20 million per hour). But Goetzman promises they’ll put the money to good use:
“There are some crazy things in [American Gods]. We’ll probably be doing more effects in there than it’s been done on a television series.”
The listing has American Gods at 624 pages. Under a six-season plan, that’s about 8-11 pages per episode, which totals up to Not Enough Material. (I am not familiar enough with either property to know if the spinoff novel Anansi Boys can be folded into the story.) Given that Gaiman is on as a writer (presumably the head writer), I hope we see all the ideas tossed around in his head and in his notes during and since writing American Gods. Clearly I need to go read the book, though I have a couple years to beat the series premiere.
Speaking of which, I believe it is folly to announce a six-season plan so early, even on HBO. Fellow HBO series Carnivà le also had six seasons in mind, yet was cancelled after two.
Source: Collider
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