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American Gods boss Neil Gaiman shares update on book sequel

Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images

From Digital Spy

Neil Gaiman is aiming to quietly go about his business while writing an American Gods book sequel.

First published two decades ago, his original novel has been adapted into three seasons of TV for Amazon Prime Video, starring Ricky Whittle as protagonist Shadow Moon and Ian McShane as his powerful pal Mr Wednesday.

Sitting down with Digital Spy to talk all things American Gods, the celebrated author opened up about future plans.

Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images

Related: How American Gods season 3 performed its own miraculous resurrection

"The nice thing about having the next American Gods book plotted in my head for a very, very long time, is that for each of the sets of showrunners, I've been able to sit them down and say, 'OK, this is what is happening in the next American Gods book. Which means that this scene, which you might have been tempted to leave out, will become incredibly important later. So please make sure that you shoot it. You are going to want to have that character knocking around, because, trust me, that character is going to become huge.'

"I would love to have written another American Gods novel before we get that far," Gaiman admitted.

"But one thing I've learned about 2020 is that whenever I plan anything, I can hear – somewhere up in the sky, like the rumbling of thunder – gods laughing, and then something else happens. It doesn't matter what it is – the world changes it."

Photo credit: Prime Video
Photo credit: Prime Video

Related: American Gods season 3 boss Neil Gaiman explains why major character is missing

He went on to recall: "I finally take a week to go down to London to visit the Sandman set, and, as I arrive in London, it's announced that London is about to go into lockdown again, and, Wednesday night, I'm on my way back to Scotland. And it happens with everything.

"I would love to write another American Gods book, but I've got several books that need to be finished first, and also there's things that need to be done, and things that need to be made. And all I know is that the moment I say 'this is what I'm doing', everything is going to change.

"So I'd rather not announce it, and I'd rather quietly do it at some point, and tell everybody it's happening."

American Gods season 3 airs on Starz in the US, and on Amazon Prime Video in the UK.


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