American Gods is ending with Season 3.
"American Gods will not return for a fourth season," the Starz network told THR in an official statement about its cancellation decision. "Everyone at Starz is grateful to the dedicated cast and crew, and our partners at Fremantle who brought author and executive producer Neil Gaiman’s ever-relevant story to life that speaks to the cultural climate of our country."
A source close to the network cited "lackluster" ratings and poor viewership numbers of its Season 3 finale as contributing factors to its cancellation. Compared to the fantasy/mystery's Season 1 finale, viewership for its latest season finale dropped 65% in ratings. Starz CEO Jeffrey Hirsch greenlit an early Season 3 renewal for the series -- a week after its second season premiered -- despite the show's 45% drop in viewership.
However, there is a sliver of good news for American Gods fans seeking some resolution to the leagues of gods at war and how Shadow Moon will or won't help their battle. Production company Fremantle is in early talks with Starz for a potential movie event to wrap up the story's cliffhangers. Starz has not commented on this prospect at the time of this writing.
American Gods Season 3 premiered on Starz in January 2021, focusing on Shadow Moon's movie to Lakeside to avoid Mr. Wednesday and the ongoing battle between The Old Gods of legend and The New Gods of modern society. In January 2021, Gaiman, who also served as an executive producer on the supernatural series, shared his enthusiasm for the latest season, stating, "This season truly feels as if it does. It's full of drama and emotion, the very real and the utterly strange, and it features some of the finest performances the show has yet seen."
During its three-season run, American Gods had four different showrunners -- with creatives leaving the series due to differing opinions on the storyline, budgeting issues for the story's scope and tensions between Fremantle and Gaiman.
Based on the Neil Gaiman novel of the same name, American Gods stars Ricky Whittle, Emily Browning, Bruce Langley, Yetide Badaki, Ian McShane, Omid Abtahi and Ashley Reyes. All three seasons are available to stream on Starz.
Source: THR