In March, we were happy to learn that Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation's Sean Harris had landed the role of Mad Sweeney on the in-production adaptation of Neil Gaiman's American Gods. Unfortunately, he's left the show and has now been replaced by Orange Is The New Black's Pablo Schreiber.
Michael Green and Bryan Fuller are leading the team adapting Gaiman's novel (with the writer himself involved), 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). The story finds Shadow (Ricky Whittle) trying to come to grips with his suddenly changing life and his connection with the Norse god Odin.
Mad Sweeney is a leprechaun who is having a hard time understanding how he lost his charm and way. Always up for a good rumble, Sweeney is never deprived while in the employment of Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane).
Schreiber joins a cast that also includes Emily Browning, Peter Stormare, Cloris Leachman, Yetide Badaki and Bruce Langley. And Harris – who reportedly left for personal reasons – isn't the only person who has been replaced. Deadline's story on his departure mentioned that director of photography Brendan Glavin is being replaced with Jo Willems, who has worked with the show's main director, David Slade, in the past.
American Gods is shooting now in Toronto and elsewhere, and should be on screens next year.