We are all about the “American Gods” trailer’s goth vibes

For those of us who are fantasy fans, the news that Bryan Fuller (creator of such cult shows as Pushing Daisies and Hannibal) and Michael Green (Heroes) is behind Starz’s adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods is basically nerd gospel. Gaiman’s novel, which tackles mythology with an inventive contemporary twist, is both meditative about the times that are a-changin’ and also deeply, darkly hilarious.

And now, we finally have a first look at the show’s main characters in action, straight out of San Diego Comic-Con:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyoXURn9oK0?feature=oembed

Though there have been some high-profile cast announcements made for the show, if you’re not familiar with the book, this trailer and story might seem dramatic and gothic and undecipherable, and that’s okay! But as laid out in the short clip: The viewer’s guide into a vast, conspiratorial universe is a recently-released ex-con named Shadow Moon, who’s only out of prison because of the recent passing of his wife Laura. Her death is soon reversed through supernatural means, and he’s sucked into a conflict he doesn’t immediately understand and in which he plays a pivotal part.

Sounds riveting? For sure, and the heavy goth stylization in the trailer is actually kind of perfect considering who’s behind the show, which will drop sometime in 2017. Heroes was a pioneering fantasy-drama, and both Pushing Daisies and Hannibalhave distinct style profiles, although of very different visual motifs and ideas. (The former is a romcom on acid; the latter is one of the most disturbing and stomach-churning shows on TV.) American Gods is stark in its color palette but rich in iconography, and we can’t wait to see how they come together.