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The Cinema Spot has learned that an Anansi Boys adaptation is in development at Amazon for their Prime Video streaming service.
Anansi Boys is a fantasy novel by English writer Neil Gaiman. In the novel, Mr. Nancy (an incarnation of the West African trickster god Anansi) dies, leaving two sons, who in turn discover each other. The novel follows their adventures as they explore their common heritage, and is a sequel to another Gaiman novel, American Gods.
Back in 2014, Gaiman revealed that both American Gods and Anansi Boys were getting adapted for television. On the latter, specifically, he said: “Anansi Boys is going to be made into a TV miniseries in the UK, by RED, for the BBC.”
The miniseries has since changed course and is now set at Amazon, likely different from the BBC version. Production on the miniseries was set to start in July, with the show being planned to wrap up production before Christmas. The adaptation is currently in early pre-production. Filming locations include the United Kingdom, the United States, and South Africa.
Paul Frift is a producer on the series, with Douglas Mackinnon directing the series. Frift, Gaiman, and Mackinnon have all worked together before on Amazon’s Good Omens, which Mackinnon helmed and Gaiman penned.
In March 2017, Mr. Nancy actor Orlando Jones expressed his interest in starring in an Anansi Boys series, as an American Gods spin-off. But at the time, he stated there was nothing in the works with his iteration of the character.
However, it is extremely unlikely that Anansi Boys will be connected to Starz’ American Gods series. Jones was fired after American Gods season 2, and with Anansi Boys set at Amazon instead of Starz, it does not seem there will be any relation between the shows.
Furthermore, Anansi Boys will be very similar to Amazon’s Good Omens series; It will be branded as a miniseries, it will have six episodes, and each episode will be sixty minutes long. The show is produced by Endor Productions.
The synopsis of the adaptation is listed below:
ANANSI BOYS is a fantasy, horror, comedy, drama – a kaleidoscopic journey deep into myth that is at once startling, terrifying, exhilarating, and fiercely funny.
There is no cast or release window as of now.
What do you think? Would you like to see an Anansi Boys miniseries? Should it be connected to American Gods? Please let us know on our Twitter and Instagram!
I know the two series aren’t related, but please please please let them cast Orlando Jones. He was magnificent in AG and I need more!