Gaiman confirms 'American Gods' film is in the works

Neil Gaiman confirmed in an interview with Digital Spy a film adaptation of his celebrated novel "American Gods" is in the works.

In the interview, published Friday, Gaiman said the movie rights were sold in the past week. He did not reveal the identity of the company, but said he would be meeting with them to "find out where they're going and if there's any way that I can help."

"There is one cinematographer and director on board who has many, many Oscars and is, I think, a genius," Gaiman said. "I love the fact that he fell in love with this about six or seven years and has not given up."

"American Gods" was published in 2001 to critical applause , winning the 2002 Hugo, Nebula, Locus, SFX Magacine and Bram Stoker Awards for Best Novel. The story follows Shadow, a man released from prison only to find his life turned upside down. He is hired by the mysterious Mr. Wednesday, becoming a piece in a larger conflict with the very soul of America on the line.

Publisher Harper Colllins describes the book as such: "As unsettling as it is exhilarating, 'American Gods' is a dark and kaleidoscopic journey deep into myth and across an America at once eerily familiar and utterly alien. Magnificently told, this work of literary magic will haunt the reader far beyond the final page."

Gaiman's announcement sparks several questions.

First, of course, is how will the filmmakers be able to convert "American Gods"--which essentially features humanity's collected mythological pantheon breaking out into civil war--into two or so hours of cinema? "Stardust" and "Coraline" are previous examples of his working being adapted into successful movies, the latter being nominated for an Academy Award.

It seems Gaiman, who apparently has resisted offers in the past, has faith in his "genius" director.

Which brings up to the next question. Who is he? Did he mean a director with multiple wins? A cinematographer with multiple wins? Or one of the above whose films won Oscars? There only a handful of directors with two Academy Award wins, one of whom is Clint Eastwood, whose last film had to do with the hereafter.

We'll just have to wait and see.