Production begins in Toronto on fantasy series 'American Gods'

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., April 23 (UPI) -- Starz and FremantleMedia North America began production in Toronto this week on the 10-episode, first season of American Gods.

The adaptation of Neil Gaiman's contemporary fantasy novel stars Ricky Whittle, Ian McShane, Emily Browning, Sean Harris, Yetide Badaki, Bruce Langley, Crispin Glover, Jonathan Tucker, Cloris Leachman, Peter Stormare, Chris Obi and Mousa Kraish.

"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," Starz said in a press release.

"Its protagonist, Shadow Moon, is an ex-con who becomes bodyguard and traveling partner to Mr. Wednesday, a con-man, but in reality, one of the older gods, on a cross-country mission to gather his forces in preparation to battle the new deities."

The showrunners are Bryan Fuller and Michael Green.