Game of Thrones‘ July return date has left a hole in TV fans’ April schedule, but the new Starz series American Gods is here to fill the void. The premium network released the official trailer Wednesday, and it is full of brutal action and war that promises to be “glorious.”
Based on author Neil Gaiman’s 2001 novel of the same name, American Gods follows Shadow Moon (played by Ricky Whittle) as loses his wife, gets released from prison, and is offered a new job — all in short order. Little does he know, though, he is stepping into the middle of a bizarre war. His work with Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane) puts him on the side of the Old Gods, who are preparing to square off against the New Gods.
That doesn’t just sound crazy to us; Shadow is suddenly dealing with an unfamiliar world and has to deal with the fact that his boss is a powerful God. Although Wednesday indicates in the preview that he is “easing” Shadow in to all of this, it looks like a rude awakening.
“You’ve gotten yourself mixed up in some really weird shit, Shadow,” we hear at one point.
That is probably an understatement. The trailer is full of blood — people being split in two, crude weapons, and a woman carrying her severed arm in her other hand. There is even a cow with fire coming out of its eyes. Clearly, things are going to get crazy.
Equally appealing are the big names involved. The cast also includes Gillian Anderson, Kristin Chenoweth, Emily Browning, and more. Bryan Fuller and Michael Green, who wrote the adaptation, serve as showrunners and they, along with Gaiman, are among the executive producers as well.
American Gods premieres April 30 on Starz.