Ian McShane Talks Differences Between American Gods and Superheroes

Last week, American Gods Season 3 premiered on Starz. The rivalry between the Old Gods of mythology and the New Gods of technology is expected to reach new heights as the protagonists collide in a no-quarter war. And while many fans might find some similarities between the Gods and superheroes, actor Ian McShane believes that they couldn’t be more different. While talking with Collider, McShane elaborated on the differences between the two and how the show differs from comic-book adaptations.

“We don’t wanna step into the Marvel world,” he stated. “[The Gods] mustn’t do too many magic tricks. You can have them. They have the special effects. The Gods can do things when they want to, but it takes too much energy out of them. It’s not just something that they can summon up, at any time. You’ve gotta have more of a mundane attitude towards it. I’m not into superhero movies, so it’s no good asking me about those. American Gods is something that I do. It’s a show. It’s metaphysical,” he said before adding that, “it’s a story of ideas.”

“I’m just not a comics guy,” he added. “I have nothing against them. American Gods is much more a story of ideas than it is about action. You get action, but usually the action is a result of some other things. It’s not just a means to itself. I didn’t want it to become another show of just special effects.”

RELATED: Neil Gaiman Announces American Gods Season 3 Debut Date for January

In the fantasy drama series, McShane portrays Mr. Wednesday. He is in fact none other than the Norse gods’ all-father, Odin himself, who is now leading the Old Guard against the New Gods and Mr. World. The upcoming season should reveal more about Mr. Wednesday’s endgame and expand his relationship with Shadow Moon, whom fans recently discovered that is his son.

American Gods Episode 3.02 will debut on Starz on Jan. 17.

Do you agree with Ian McShane’s vision of American Gods? Let us know in the comments section below.

Recommended Reading: American Gods

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