Bryan Fuller and Michael Green’s upcoming television adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s American Gods is taking a leaf out of The OA’s book — not in terms of a head-scratching ending, but in having an extremely dope Instagram that reveals secrets if you look close enough.
The American Gods Instagram offers three triptychs highlighting some of the major characters: Ian McShane’s Wednesday, Ricky Whittle’s Shadow Moon, and Emily Browning’s Laura Moon. Each contains a cryptic yet tantalizing video illuminating certain details about all three.
Although they’re short, they offer clues about the characters’ truest natures. The story revolves around Shadow, an ex-con. Upon his release from prison, he learns that his wife has died and takes a road trip with an enigmatic grifter named Wednesday. As the story proceeds, it becomes clear that Wednesday is no ordinary man but the Nordic god Odin, and that a war is brewing between old gods from folklore and new gods like technology and media.
Against the backdrop of folksy music, the videos show glimpses of key moments for each character. For Wednesday, it’s a glimpse of his first meeting with Shadow, drinks in Jack’s Crocodile Bar, and outside with one of the Zorya sisters.
Here’s the Wednesday video:
In Shadow’s video, he’s seen performing his signature coin tricks, attending his wife Laura’s funeral, and visiting the mysterious World Tree. This indicates that — spoiler alert — either Season 1 will climax with Wednesday’s death, or the show will bring the tree into the story sooner.
Laura Moon will have an expanded role in the show, as the fourth episode will revolve around her. Although she walks around dead for most of the book, Neil Gaiman said, “Episode 4 is all about Shadow’s dead wife Laura four years before they even met.” In her video, she’s shown looking very much alive at a hotel, and very dead standing against a dreamy desert landscape.
American Gods premieres on Starz April 30.
