FremantleMedia snags TV rights to Neil Gaiman’s American Gods

The US division of FremantleMedia has acquired the rights to Neil Gaiman’s American Gods.

The author will executive produce a TV series based on the 2001 book 2001 fantasy novel, which FremantleMedia will produce.

The novel follows a war that is brewing between the traditional gods of biblical and mythological roots who are steadily losing believers to an upstart pantheon of gods reflecting society’s modern love of money, technology, media, celebrity and drugs.

The main character is Shadow Moon an ex-con who becomes bodyguard and traveling partner to one of the old gods, Mr. Wednesday.

FremantleMedia is ramping up activity at its US scripted division and has a US adapatation of The Returned in the works at cable net A&E and an adaptation of Carl Hiaasen’s novel Basket Case in development at Spike.