American Gods drops season 3 premiere date, letter from Neil Gaiman: "America must be for all of us"

Back in December, former American Gods star Orlando Jones revealed his ouster from the series as well as alleged discriminatory behavior from embattled producer Fremantle. The kerfuffle definitely loomed over the recently released season three teaser, which largely featured Shadow (played by Ricky Whittles, who Jones called out for his lack of support). Now, weeks after our first peek at the upcoming season, Starz has released the official premiere date and a letter from creator Neil Gaiman.

“When we embarked upon making Season Three of ‘American Gods,’ we had no idea how timely it would turn out to be,” Gaiman began. “We knew we wanted to return to what people loved and responded to in the book: that it was time for Shadow to go to the little town of Lakeside and try to lose himself in normality.” The author went on to note that the season would look at the individual characters’ respective journeys as well as immigration and “what ‘America’ means to its people.”

The new season begins around Chapter Nine of the book series with Shadow Moon hiding out from the New Gods in a sub-zero town suddenly plagued by mystical forces. Former Walking Dead EP Charles “Chic” Eglee, who Jones blasted as an out of touch “Connecticut-born, Yale-educated” man who deemed his Mr. Nancy “too angry,” serves as this season’s showrunner after original adapters Bryan Fuller and Michael Green and season two showrunner Jesse Alexander had all left the show. Gaiman, however, assures that the show is back on track…. allegedly.

“America must be for all of us, and “American Gods” must reflect that. This season truly feels as if it does,” Gaiman asserts. Fans will find out for sure when the series returns January 10, 2021. Check out his full letter below.

When we embarked upon making Season Three of “American Gods,” we had no idea how timely it would turn out to be. We knew we wanted to return to what people loved and responded to in the book: that it was time for Shadow to go to the little town of Lakeside and try to lose himself in normality.

And at the same time, in Season Three, we wanted to focus on the characters and their journeys. To show Shadow forging a path guided by the Gods of his ancestors, becoming more himself while deciding who he is and what side he’s on — humanity’s or that of the Gods.

We knew also that we wanted to continue to root the show in the landscapes of America. To explore what “America” means to its people and to talk about immigrants — about the very different people who came to this remarkable land and brought their gods with them. The new gods of phone and app and glitter demand our attention and our love, and the old gods want to mean something again.

America must be for all of us, and “American Gods” must reflect that. This season truly feels as if it does. It’s full of drama and emotion, the very real and the utterly strange, and it features some of the finest performances the show has yet seen. It brings back favorite characters, some in remarkable new ways, and we will encounter people and gods we’ve never met before. I’m proud of our brilliant cast — of Ricky and Emily, of Yetide and Ian, Bruce, Demore, Omid and all the rest — and of what the writers have done to bring the story back on track.

The struggles of the gods and the people in Season Three of “American Gods” are the struggles of America. We didn’t think it would prove as timely when we plotted it, nor did I think the novel would still be relevant when I wrote it over 20 years ago. But I’m glad it’s happening now, in a year when it feels as though diverse stories are being heard, and honored, and allowed to change the future.

Thank you so much,

Neil Gaiman