Great news for Neil Gaiman fans! It's been announced that HBO and Tom Hanks' production company, Playtone Productions, are going ahead with their ambitious TV take on Gaiman's bestselling novel, 'American Gods.'

According to 'The Hollywood Reporter' the new drama is slated for six seasons, with the first season due to air sometime in 2013. Each season will be comprised of 10 to 12 hour-long episodes, with a budget of around $35-40 million per season.

Steeped in religious folklore from ancient times to the 21st century, 'American Gods' will be executive-produced by Gary Goetzman and Hanks, with Bob Richardson and Gaiman onboard as executive producer and writer.

Producers promise that it will be effects-heavy to do justice to the awe-inspiring power of the divine beings involved. "There are some crazy things in there," said Goetzman. "We'll probably be doing more effects in there than it's been done on a television series."

Amidst the 'Game of Thrones' buzz, HBO is eying its next genre project: Neil Gaiman's acclaimed 'American Gods' novel.

According to Deadline, the project was brought to HBO by Playtone's Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman. The novel from 'Sandman' author Gaiman tells the story of a battle between two sets of gods. Gaiman and cinematographer Robert Richardson are rumored to be writing the pilot together.

In 'American Gods,' one group of traditional gods and creatures from mythology are losing power as people's belief in them disappears. Their being threatened by a group of new gods who are based on America's love of media, celebrities, drugs and technology. The book follows an ex-con who teams with an older god in disguise.

The novel won the Stoker, Nebula and Hugo Awards.

Gaiman's other print to film work includes 'Coraline' and 'Stardust.'

In other TV news ...

• TNT has acquired the syndication rights for CBS's freshman hit 'Hawaii Five-0.' The episodes will start airing in 2014 ... so, uh, remember to set your DVRs in three years? [TNT]

• Donald Trump might announce on the 'Celebrity Apprentice' finale that he might announce he's running for president. "I am thinking of saying on the live finale of 'The Apprentice' on May 22 that in a few days I will be making an announcement about my decision," he said. [NY Times]

• Nickelodeon has renewed its hit 'iCarly' for a fifth season. The fourth season goes into production next month, so once that wraps, the show will produce a 13-episode season 5. [Deadline]