With shooting set to start on the series imminently, Bryan Fuller, Michael Green and the American Gods cable TV team have cast two more key roles with Crispin Glover and Jonathan Tucker.
In Neil Gaiman's novel, chronicling the struggle between the gods of old (mythological legends from around the world) and new (reflecting modern society's love for money, technology and celebrity, among other things), Shadow (Ricky Whittle), freshly released from prison, is trying to come to grips with his suddenly changing life and his connection with the Norse god Odin. Ian McShane is Mr. Wednesday, a crafty, charismatic con man bursting with weird wisdom, strange magic and big schemes who hires Shadow as his bodyguard while on a quest to recruit others like him.
Glover has signed on to play Mr. World, the powerful leader who oversees the New Gods, though one constantly dealing with challenges from those in his group. And he sees Mr. Wednesday, allied with the Old Gods, as his biggest threat. Tucker will be Low Key Lyesmith, who was Shadow's confidante in the slammer, a fast-talker and charismatic sort who gives our hero advice for when he returns to the outside world.
They're joining a cast that also includes Emily Browning as Shadow's wife Laura Moon, Sean Harris as Mad Sweeney, Yetide Badaki as Bilquis and Bruce Langley as Technical Boy. Fuller's old Hannibal collaborator, David Slade, is acting as the main director for the series, and will set the show's visual style.