Starz’ adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s modern fantasy American Gods is adding another member to the cast. Emily Browning – of Sucker Punch fame – has signed on to star alongside Ian McShane and Ricky Whittle in the small-screen yarn.
Gaiman’s novel traces the story of Shadow Moon (Whittle), an ex-convict recently released from prison who strikes a deal with the mysterious Mr. Wednesday (McShane) and ends up caught in a massive war between ancient and modern gods. It unravels as the pair road trip across the country, and reads like a fantastical journey through contemporary America. I’d highly recommend picking up a copy before the series drops.
As for Browning, she’s is set to play Laura Moon, Shadow’s wife. While he’s been locked up, she “has been preparing for her husband’s pending prison release. Little does she know that she will go on an unexpected journey that leads her to an epiphany about her relationship and affords her a second chance to get things right.”
Here’s what Gaiman had to say about Browning joining the cast:
“I’ve been fascinated by Emily Browning since A Series of Unfortunate Events. She has a challenge ahead of her: Laura is a tricky character, and the Laura on the screen is even trickier and more dangerous than the one on the page. She’s going to have a wonderful time bringing Laura to life.”
Hannibal creator Bryan Fuller is serving as showrunner on American Gods which ought to give some indication of what to expect. Fingers crossed we’re getting another highly-stylized, gripping slice of genre entertainment.