We Have A Mr. Wednesday: Ian McShane Cast In 'American Gods'

Fans have waited a long time since Neil Gaiman first confirmed that his novel "American Gods" was getting adapted for the small screen but it wasn't until 2014 when Freemantle Media North America (FMNA) acquired rights to it and in June 2015 Starz finally greenlit the project. Just a month after Ricky Whittle was cast as Shadow Moon, the FMNA and Starz happily announced on Mar. 2 that Mr. Wednesday has also been cast as well and it is none other than veteran actor Ian McShane.

It was all probably set up by Starz because the casting of the mysterious Mr. Wednesday was officially announced on a Wednesday to make sure that all those involved in the project and the fans looking forward to the series would have a wonderful Wednesday.

It appears that Gaiman approves of this decision because he has already worked with McShane in an animated film before and he seems to have had McShane in mind even before he was cast.

"When you write a beloved character (beloved with, or despite, or because of all his faults) like Mr. Wednesday, you get to watch the internet trying to cast the role. I've seen a hundred names suggested, but few make me grin like Ian McShane does," Gaiman said in the official press statement of Starz.

Showrunners Michael Green and Bryan Fuller also expressed how wonderful it was to cast Ian McShane for the role.

"Actor. Icon. And now god. It is a goddamn delight to be collaborating with the incomparable Ian [...] A wonderful Wednesday indeed," Fuller and Green commented.

Mr. Wednesday is the mysterious man who approaches Shadow Moon after getting released from prison and, as it turns out, he is the human form of the Norse God, Odin. The casting is really exciting news but none could express their excitement better than Fuller and Gaiman who took to Twitter to gloat.