American Gods Season 2 Begins Production

American Gods Season 2 begins production at House on the Rock

Starz, a Lionsgate company, and FremantleMedia North America’s (FMNA) sophomore season of the critically-acclaimed show, American Gods, will be giving fans what they have been waiting for – a meeting of the gods. Production kicked off last week on American Gods Season 2 at the Wisconsin roadside attraction, The House on the Rock, which is a quintessential location in Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed contemporary fantasy novel from which the series is adapted. The location is home not only to many unique collections but also serves as a backdrop to a pivotal moment in the series and book.

The first look photo of cast and executive producer Gaiman along with showrunner and executive producer Jesse Alexander takes place in the fabled Carousel Room. The start of production video teases what lies ahead in season two of the eight-episode one-hour scripted drama series returning to Starz in 2019. Make sure you check out this teaser below.

“The first season was all about getting to the House on the Rock,” says executive producer Neil Gaiman,  “It’s amazing to see everyone back, and to be entering the next stage of the story with the best bunch of actors around, along with some inspired filmmakers.”

The cast includes Ricky Whittle (The 100, Austenland) as Shadow Moon, Ian McShane (Deadwood, Ray Donovan) as Mr. Wednesday, Emily Browning (Sucker Punch, Legend) as Laura Moon, Pablo Schreiber (Orange is the New Black, The Brink) as Mad Sweeney, Orlando Jones (Madiba, Sleepy Hallow) as Mr. Nancy, Yetide Badaki (Aquarius, Masters of Sex) as Bilquis, Bruce Langley (Deadly Waters) as Technical Boy, Crispin Glover (Back to the Future) as Mr. World, Cloris Leachman (Malcom in The Middle, Raising Hope) as Zorya Vechernyaya, Peter Stormare (Fargo, Prison Break) as Czernobog, Mousa Kraish (Superbad, Fast & Furious) as The Jinn, Omid Abtahi (“Argo”) as Salim, Chris Obi (Snow White and the Huntsman, The Counselor) as Anubis, and Demore Barnes (Waco, 12 Monkeys) as Mr. Ibis.

American Gods 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 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.

American Gods is produced by FremantleMedia North America. Jesse Alexander (Hannibal, Heroes) will serve as showrunner and executive producer this season. FMNA’s Stefanie Berk is executive producing the series along with Neil Gaiman, Ian McShane, Craig Cegielski and Scott Hornbacher.  Chris Byrne (Star Trek Discovery, Hannibal) is directing the premiere episode and will co-executive produce along with Heather Bellson and Rodney Barnes. Lisa Kussner will produce. Senior Vice President of Original Programming Marta Fernandez and Manager of Original Programming Kathleen Clifford are the Starz executives in charge of American Gods.