‘American Gods’: Starz Boss Talks Showrunner Exits Ahead of Season 2

American Gods has had some behind-the-scenes drama in recent months, but Starz CEO Chris Albrecht said a second season is still in the works.

The Starz hit series made headlines in November after executive producers and showrunners Michael Green and Bryan Fuller, who created the television adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s 2001 award-winning novel, announced they’d be exiting the show after a budget disagreement with the production company.

During a Television Critics Association panel, Albrecht admitted to reporters that the network is “having some trouble getting the second season underway.”

“Our partners at [Fremantle Media North America] are working with Bryan and Michael and their schedules, working out a way for them to continue to be involved,” Albrecht said.

He confirmed that “Neil Gaiman will be taking more of a central role, moving forward into a more traditional showrunner function.”

“We’re looking for a partner for him who can ensure that the television part of this get the appropriate attention,” he said.

According to Deadline, when asked to clarify Fuller and Green’s involvement going forward, Albrecht said that they “will be involved as much as they can be, it’s a little bit up in the air as to what their role will be.”

As for their sudden exit, “they were not fired nor did they quit,” Albrecht said. “There is a very good relationship between Fremantle and Michael and Bryan, and everyone’s trying to work this out, everyone wants that to be a win-win for the people involved and the fans, everyone wants to keep as much of the team intact as possible.”

Albrecht also was asked to address information that the reasons behind Green and Fuller’s exit stemmed from disagreements over the series’ budget.

“Not surprisingly if you’ve seen the show it’s not an inexpensive show,” Albrecht said. “Budget is always a factor although Fremantle has been terrific in wanting to invest. It’s a big show, it’s a monster show and it’s faced many of the challenges that terrific complex premium shows face trying to get seasons, especially when art comes before commerce.”