Neil Gaiman's AMERICAN GODS being set up at HBO by Playtone

HBO is currently in talks to buy the rights to Neil Gaiman's novel American Gods. If the deal is finalized, it will be the second fantasy series for the network, aside from Game of Thrones. Playtone partners Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman were introduced to the project by Robert Richardson, and they in turn brought it to HBO. Richardson and Gaiman plan to write the pilot together.

Richardson just completed cinematography on Hugo Cabret, his other films include Shutter Island, Inglourious Basterds and Kill Bill. He won Oscars for his work on The Aviator and JFK, and is a regular collaborator with Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino and Oliver Stone. Gods will be his first significant scripting effort. Gaiman is known for The Sandman, and scripting Beowulf. His novels Stardust and Coraline have been turned into films, and Neil Jordan is directing an adaption of Gaiman's The Graveyard Book.

American Gods, was published in 2002 and won both the Stoker and Hugo Award among other prizes; The story "details a battle between two sets of gods. One consists of the traditional gods and mythological creatures who got their power because people throughout history believed in them. They are losing steam as people's beliefs wane and are in danger of being supplanted by a new set of gods who  reflect America's preoccupation with technological advancements and obsessions with media, celebrity, technology and drugs. The protagonist is an ex-con who becomes the traveling partner of a conman who turns out to be one of the older gods trying to recruit troops to battle the upstart deities."

Playtone has a great relationship with HBO. Big Love, is ending this season and they have have had success with the miniseries The Pacific, John Adams, Band of Brothers and From The Earth To The Moon. This sounds like and epic show that HBO will be a perfect fit for. 

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