Amazon Studios has ordered a six-episode miniseries based on Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys, based on his novel of the same name, which was a spinoff from his previous novel American Gods. Of course, American Gods was translated into a three-season program on Starz, which started off strong but was tumultuous behind the scenes and was recently axed. (There was talk that it may go elsewhere, but so far, nothing has been announced.)
However, Anansi Boys will not be a spinoff of the American Gods TV series, and that should come as no surprise as Orlando Jones, who portrayed Anansi/Mister Nancy, loudly exited the series after what he considered poor (and racist) treatment by the production studio, Fremantle.
Mister Nancy is deceased in Anansi Boys, anyway. The story focuses on Charlie Nancy, “who learns that his recently deceased father is none other than Anansi. On top of that, he has a brother he never knew about who’s entering his life and making it more dangerous.” Mister Nancy was an African trickster god who tended to take on the form of a spider.
According to Gaiman:
“Anansi Boys began around 1996, from a conversation I had with Lenny Henry about writing a story that was diverse and part of the culture that we both loved. I wrote a novel, an (I hope) joyous and funny book about a dead god and his two sons, about birds and ghosts and beasts and cops, based in Caribbean and African tales. It was my first number one NYT Bestseller, and went on to become a beloved and award winning book.
“Anansi Boys as a TV series has been a long time coming — I first started working with [production companies] Endor and Red on making it over a decade ago. We needed Amazon Prime to come on board and embrace our vision, we needed a lead director with the craft and vision of Hanelle Culpepper, we needed the creative and technical wizardry of Douglas Mackinnon (who worked out how we could push the bounds of the possible to shoot a story set all over the world in a huge studio outside Edinburgh), and we needed the rest of the amazing talents that nobody knows about yet.
“We are trying to make a new kind of show with Anansi Boys, and to break ground with it to make something that celebrates and rejoices in diversity both in front of and behind the camera. I’m so thrilled it’s happening and that people will be meeting Mr. Nancy, Charlie, and Spider, the Bird Woman and the rest of them.”
Gaiman will serve as co-showrunner with Mackinnon and will co-write the series with Sir Lenny Henry (star of Amazon’s upcoming Lord of the Rings series, and who recorded the audiobook version of Anansi Boys), Arvind Ethan David, Kara Smith, and Racheal Ofori.
Culpepper (Star Trek: Picard, Memories of Ptolemy Grey) will direct the pilot, with Jermain Julien (Grantchester) and Azhur Saleem (Doctor Who) helming other episodes.
Henry stated:
“I’ve been a huge fan, and couch sleeping friend, of Neil Gaiman’s for over 30 years, and I have loved being a part of the Anansi Boys’ creative team. I love that we’re going to have a suitably diverse cast and crew to tell this joyous story. What’s great is that the whole production is listening and ensuring that inclusion is happening and is being seen to be done.”
Vernon Sanders, Co-Head of Television, Amazon Studios added:
“No one can weave a story of fantasy, humor, and deep emotion quite like Neil Gaiman, and Anansi Boys is a funny, weird, wonderful ride. We’re so happy to have Neil, Lenny, and Douglas bring their vision for Anansi Boys to the screen for our Prime Video customers around the world.”
Check back for updates as they arrive!
