HBO set to do American Gods

[keg in kc]

This could be all kinds of awesome. Not quite as exciting as the original Game of Thrones announcement in '09, but not that far behind. I'm a big fan of Gaiman's work.

Playtone Setting Neil Gaiman's 'American Gods' For HBO Series

By MIKE FLEMING | Thursday April 14, 2011 @ 7:20pm EDT

EXCLUSIVE: As HBO prepares to unveil its epic-sized series adaptation of George RR Martin's Game of Thrones this Sunday, the payweb has begun talks to acquire the Neil Gaiman novel American Gods to be developed into another fantasy series. The project was brought to HBO by Playtone partners Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, and it was brought to them by Robert Richardson. The plan is for Richardson and Gaiman to write the pilot together.

...American Gods, the 2002 book that won both the Stoker and Hugo Award among other prizes, lays out a battle between two sets of gods. One consists of the traditional gods and mythological creatures who got their power because people throughout history believed in them. They are losing steam as people's beliefs wane and are in danger of being supplanted by a new set of gods who reflect America's preoccupation with technological advancements and obsessions with media, celebrity, technology and drugs. The protagonist is an ex-con who becomes the traveling partner of a conman who turns out to be one of the older gods trying to recruit troops to battle the upstart deities.

Little bit more at the link.

Playtone, as folks probably know, are the guys responsible for Band Of Brothers/The Pacific, John Adams, From the Earth to the Moon and Big Love.