Second season of American Gods gets a new showrunner in Jesse Alexander

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

After frequent clashes with CBS over the budget and creative direction of Star Trek: Discovery, Bryan Fuller was asked to step down as showrunner of that series. Fuller soon turned his full attention to developing American Gods for Starz, but after a successful first season, Fuller and his co-showrunner Michael Green exited the series for much the same reasons as his departure from Star Trek: Discovery. The search began for someone else to take the reins, and THR now reports that Jesse Alexander (Hannibal) will now take over showrunning duties alongside "American Gods" author Neil Gaiman.

"I'm thrilled that Jesse is [the] showrunner. He loves and understands the book, he loves and understands the TV series and he's dedicated to making future seasons of American Gods as good and as beautiful and as unique as they can be," Gaiman told THR in a statement. "Shadow's journey is going to take him, and Mr. Wednesday, and the New Gods and the Old, to some very strange places. I'm glad that we, and the cast and crew, will have Jesse shepherding us on the way." Bryan Fuller and Michael Green had already penned the first six episodes for American Gods' second season, but THR's sources say that Fremantle Media, who produces the series, is planning to toss those scripts and start from scratch. It's said that Fuller and Green didn't have the best relationship with Fremantle, especially as the first reason went over budget by an estimated $30 million. Coupled with numerous rewrites and Bryan Fuller scrapping two-episodes of what was supposed to be a ten-episode season, it's so wonder they're looking for someone who can play ball.

It reportedly wasn't only Fremantle who was unhappy with Bryan Fuller and Michael Green's work on American Gods, but also Neil Gaiman himself, who wasn't pleased with the direction the pair had planned for the second season, which would have further strayed from the original novel's story. As for how different the second season will be from the first, I suppose we'll have to wait and see.

Are you still invested in another season of American Gods?