The opening title sequence of the Starz new series invites viewers to an aesthetic neon trip, featuring a Las Vegas neon-lit cowboy, a crucified astronaut and more of both New and Old Gods.
- Mar 31, 2017
AceShowbiz - Starz has just unveiled an opening title sequence for its new series, "American Gods". The old and new deities are put on display in the epic opening title sequence for the series adapted from Neil Gaiman's fantasy novel of the same name.
Accompanied by a haunting score, the opening title teases a weird yet wonderful visual as well as depicts many modern and ancient Gods from the story. In the Elastic-produced sequence, religious praxis and iconography clash with modern technology, making a truly trippy introduction to a series that includes everything from Anubis, Easter and leprechauns to the fresh-faced god of the Internet and computers.
The trippy sequence features a smiling Buddha statue with a rain of neon-colored piles around, a Ganesha statue with syringes beneath its lotus, S&M centaurs, assorted metal animals as well as a Las Vegas neon-lit cowboy. The godly sequence continues to show that while old gods try to protect and revive, the contemporary ones keep affecting and infecting them. A crucified astronaut is featured when the sequence is going toward the end, before all the previously-revealed deities are placed vertically to form a bright neon and strange totem pole.
"Is it strange to want action figures from a main title sequence?" co-showrunners and EPs Bryan Fuller and Michael Green said in a statement. "Crucified astronauts, neon cowboys and S&M centaurs-we bow to Elastic and their spectacular vision. A totem of godly visions we didn't know we needed to worship until they showed us the light with this clarion call to the 'American Gods'."
"American Gods" posits a different kind of war brewing-one between Old Gods and New. The traditional Old Gods, with mythological roots from around the world, fear irrelevance as their believers die off or are seduced by the money, technology, and celebrity offered by the New Gods. Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) is an ex-con who, left adrift by the recent death of his wife, becomes bodyguard and traveling partner to conman Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane). But in truth, Mr. Wednesday is a powerful old deity, on a cross-country mission to build an army and reclaim his lost glory.
"American Gods" also stars Emily Browning ("Sucker Punch", "Legend (2015)") as Laura Moon and Pablo Schreiber ("Orange is the New Black") as Mad Sweeney. Other cast members include Yetide Badaki ("Aquarius", "Masters of Sex") as Bilquis, Bruce Langley ("Deadly Waters") as Technical Boy and Crispin Glover ("Back to the Future") as Mr. World and Orlando Jones ("Sleepy Hollow") as Mr. Nancy.
FremantleMedia North America produces the series, while Fuller ("Hannibal") and Green ("Logan", "Blade Runner 2049", "Alien: Covenant") serve as writers and showrunners. David Slade ("Hannibal", "The Twilight Saga's Eclipse") is set to direct the pilot and additional episodes.
FMNA's Craig Cegielski and Stefanie Berk are executive producers along with Fuller, Green, Slade, Adam Kane and Neil Gaiman. Senior Vice Presidents of Original Programming Marta Fernandez and Ken Segna are the Starz executives in charge of "American Gods".
"American Gods" will bow on Sunday, April 30 at 9 P.M. on Starz.
