It looks like Neil Gaiman is teasing that ‘American Gods 2’ might finally be coming. When ‘American Gods‘ was released back in 2001, Gaiman’s fans were thrilled though at the time few of us expected a sequel. While we’ve seen both ‘Anansi Boys’ and short stories in that world released, a proper sequel was never done. With Starz premiering the first season of an ongoing live-action adaptation of the first novel we’re all again if and wondering when a sequel might be happening.
Back in 2001, he stated in an interview that “I’ve been [planning] to do a second American Gods book since the first American Gods book” and also made the following Tweet:
And for those asking, No, 6 years of AMERICAN GODS on TV doesn’t mean just the 1st book. It means I need to write the 2nd now, for a start.
— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) June 13, 2011
But where does that leave us today? According to Gaiman:
“The big problem I have is having a maximum of one body and one set of typing fingers at any time. Mostly what’s happening is, in the last couple of years, I finished the six-hour-long adaptation of Good Omens for the BBC. I’m wrapping up the Norse mythology book, and right now I’m about a third of the way through the next Neverwhere novel, which is what has to be finished next because it’s the next thing in my head. And then after that, I will probably write a children’s book because there are at least two in my head right now that are jumping up and down, looking rather like small kids desperate to use a toilet, waving their hands going, ‘Me! Me! Look, me, now, please!’ And then I’ll probably start American Gods 2, if there is still a will to write.”
That means Gaiman has it on his plate but there are just a few things that need to be wolfed down first. On a bright note, though, as Gaiman was heavily involved in the production of the series he was able to make sure that it wouldn’t cause problems with any of the plot points that he already has planned for the novel! In fact, he also made sure certain scenes stayed in as they were secretly laying the groundwork for things to come:
“There were moments, which they were very good about listening to, when I would say, ‘Okay, nobody but you two knows anything at all about the plot of American Gods 2, but I need to tell you that this line, which seems like a bit of dialogue that you could lose, will become important. Or this little scene — an indigenous scene — which seems trivial will become important one day and if we get to season 5, we’ll need it then, so let’s put it here now.'”
The best part of this planning is that much like George R.R. Martin’s involvement in HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones’ and J.K. Rowing for her films is that they’re able to plan for the future. Unlike Martin, we might have the sequel before the show catches up to where the novels leave off.
Are you locking forward to ‘American Gods 2’? Do you think it will be released before a potential fifth season gets to the events which would be in it? Share your thoughts below!
Source: Entertainment Weekly
Stuart Conover is an author, blogger, and all around geek. When not busy being a father and husband he tries to spend as much time as possible immersed in comic books, science fiction, and horror! Would you like to know more? Follow him on Twitter!
