Oklahoma will take center stage with the upcoming premiere of the television series “American Gods”, debuting April 30 on the Starz Network. The eight-episode series is produced by Fremantle Media, one of the leading creators, producers and distributors of television brands in the world.
Based on the acclaimed novel by Neil Gaiman, the series tells the story of Shadow Moon, an inmate released from prison who finds himself swept into a battle among mythological gods when he takes a job working for a mysterious conman, Mr. Wednesday. “American Gods” boasts an all-star cast including Ricky Whittle (“The 100”), Emily Browning (“A Series of Unfortunate Events”), Ian McShane (“Pirates of the Caribbean”), Cloris Leachman (“The Last Picture Show”), Jonathan Tucker (“Kingdom”), Gillian Anderson (“The X-Files”) Crispin Glover (“Back to the Future”) and Oklahoma’s own Kristin Chenoweth (“Glee”).
The series was filmed throughout Oklahoma last summer over the course of a week. While the bulk of the production’s principal photography occurred in Canada, Oklahoma was the only U.S. location to be featured in this season’s programming thanks in part to the state’s attractive 35-37% cash film incentive program and diverse locations spread among twelve different eco-regions. A number of locations from Oklahoma can be seen throughout the series including the Oklahoma State Penitentiary as well as scenic landscapes in Ponca City, Fairview, Little Sahara State Park and Gloss Mountain State Park.
Earlier this year, the series’ pilot episode premiered at the 2017 South by Southwest Festival (SXSW) to rave reviews from both critics and audiences alike with Entertainment Weekly citing it as “the most important show on television right now”.
“Our office is pleased to hear the positive reviews this series is garnering as we’ve diligently worked to recruit television productions to Oklahoma through the use of our film incentive program,” said OF+MO Director Tava Maloy Sofsky. “We’re incredibly grateful to our statewide community partners and the Tourism and State Parks departments who stepped up to accommodate this production while on-location in Oklahoma.”
For more information on “American Gods”, please visit starz.com/series/AmericanGods.
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About Oklahoma Film + Music Office:
Created in 1979, The Oklahoma Film + Music Office (OF+MO) strives to share all that Oklahoma has to offer by welcoming filmmakers and music professionals to the state and by creating a network of support to develop Oklahoma’s film and music industries. For more information about the Oklahoma Film Enhancement Rebate Program or the Oklahoma Film + Music Office please visit www.okfilmmusic.org.
