Despite its lackluster second season and one of the main actors being American Gods television show is planning a third season though no release date has been announced. Based on the book by Neil Gaiman, it follows an ex-convict who gets caught in a supernatural war.
While many consider American Gods to be Gaiman’s magnum opus, his concept of bringing ancient myths into the present is not unique to him. In fact, there are several movies out there with the same idea that came out before and after American Gods with arguably the best ones showcased here.
Dreamkeeper
Two years after American Gods was published in 2001, a movie came out called Dreamkeeper. Released on ABC, it focuses on a young Lakota man named Shane Chasing Horse who reluctantly takes his grandfather to a powwow. In turn, the grandfather tells Shane many Native American stories as they travel cross-country.
Now given that there’s a lot of traveling in American Gods, this movie would be appropriate to watch despite not having the exact same premise as the show. Plus, it delves more into Native American mythology compared to American Gods whose contributions include the occasional myth and a minor ing character who’s part Cherokee.
Godspell
Though the American Gods TV show follows the same basic premise as the book, it does take some liberties such as including characters who were only mentioned briefly like Jesus. Yes, the same Jesus from the Bible whose story has been retold in various mediums including movies.
Among the adaptations of Jesus’ story, though, the 1973 Godspell film is one of the most unique. Based on the musical of the same name, it takes place in New York City where a 70s version of Jesus and his youthful disciples retell several parables. Then in between these are several religious-themed musical numbers.
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Besides Christianity, Greek myth has achieved a kind of universality that is widely recognized with themes that transcend time itself. Though one of the more famous stories that interweaves Greek mythology is Homer’s The Odyssey, which has been interpreted in many ways.
Even comedic takes on the story exist, such as O Brother, Where Art Thou? Set during the Depression, the movie follows three convicts that escape and get into all kinds of odd situations. On the surface, this is basically the premise of American Gods since the main character Shadow is a former convict though he was released on parole.
Black Orpheus
The beauty of mythology is that it’s not necessarily bound to one culture. Hence we get movies like Black Orpheus, which is a Brazilian take on the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice.
For those unfamiliar with the story, it’s about two lovers who are pulled apart when Eurydice tragically dies causing Orpheus to travel to the Underworld to retrieve her soul. Now what makes Black Orpheus’ version unique is its setting, which is 1950s Brazil, and the inclusion of Voodoo. The latter is especially relevant to American Gods, which introduces Haitian Loas that are worshipped in Voodoo in the second season.
Wonder Woman
It has been argued that comic book superheroes represent a kind of mythology for the modern age, from their universal themes to even including literal gods. Among the latter is Wonder Woman, who was created by the Greek Gods and is blessed with divine gifts including weapons.
Aside from her appearances in comic books and animated television shows/movies, Wonder Woman’s popularity went further up following the live-action DCEU film named after her. Because she interacts with gods like Ares, who serves as her main nemesis, her story ties into American Gods thematically and in relation to Shadow’s true heritage.
Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief
Also known as Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, this movie was among the many young adult novel adaptations that followed in wake of the Harry Potter movies’ success. Though it did manage to get a sequel, Percy Jackson wasn’t as big of a hit as expected and it’s unclear whether a proper adaptation will come in the form of a television show or not.
Nevertheless, it has a similar concept to American Gods by having the creatures and gods of myth interacting in the modern world. The main story, though, focuses on the adventures of its titular protagonist who is the son of Poseidon.
Finian’s Rainbow
In addition to including more characters that were mentioned in the book, the American Gods TV show expanded the roles of minor characters like Mad Sweeney. A prickly Leprechaun with a penchant for drinking, he unexpectedly became a fan-favorite despite his fate in Season 2.
Now, what does this have to do with the lighthearted 1960s musical film adaptation of Finian’s Rainbow? Well, like American Gods it utilizes the idea of immigrants unintentionally bringing supernatural figures that represent their beliefs to America. Plus, an unusually tall Leprechaun and stolen coins with magic powers play a significant role in the musical’s story.
Thor
While comic book superheroes may have their own unique stories with mythological elements, they also popularize myths that already exist. For instance, the Thor comics introduced many people to Norse myths which generally aren’t as well-known as their Greek counterparts.
Then like Wonder Woman, the superhero Thor (who is also a god) became even more popular after appearing in the MCU movies starting with the 2011 film named after him. Now while the god Thor does appear in the American Gods TV show, his role is relatively minor compared to Odin who’s one of the main characters in the show and book.
Death Becomes Her
Apart from Shadow traveling with his mysterious employer Mr. Wednesday (aka Odin), American Gods also focuses on his wife Laura who comes back from the dead. While she could be seen as a kind of zombie, she’s more than that due to having agency.
Yet there aren’t very many zombie movies where the undead is portrayed in a sympathetic manner or at least behave like humans. Minus Zombies and Warm Bodies, there was a dark comedy that came out in the 1990s with zombie-like beings. Known as Death Becomes Her, it stars Meryl Streep as an aging actress who gets a potion that makes her immortally undead.
The Matrix
The main antagonists of American Gods are the New Gods, who are manifestations of the various modern technologies that exist. From television to computers, they want to repress Odin and the rest of the Old Gods out of fear of their great power.
While there are no gods in The Matrix and its sequels, there are allusions to gods with characters like Morpheus (named after the Greek god of dreams) and Trinity. Plus, the conflict is similar to American Gods as it is the power of religion versus that of technology. In fact, Neo’s story parallels Shadow’s as they are both ordinary men thrust into fantastic situations.
