Crews using upper Wyndham Street for filming of new television series called American Gods

A scene is shot for the upcoming American television series American Gods on Upper Wyndham Street Monday, May 2, 2016. Shooting continues Tuesday. Tony Saxon/GuelphToday

1 / 1 A scene is shot for the upcoming American television series American Gods on Upper Wyndham Street Monday, May 2, 2016. Shooting continues Tuesday. Tony Saxon/GuelphToday

Downtown Guelph became downtown Chicago on Monday as the filming of a new American television series took over upper Wyndham Street.

While officially billed as the filming of a show called Mr. Chocolate, it is actually the filming of a series called American Gods, as the production company tries to keep as much information under wraps as possible by using a fake name.

Filming takes place Monday and Tuesday.

The series is based on the 2001 Hugo and Nebula award winning novel of the same name by Neil Gaiman.

Originally it was supposed to air on HBO but according to online media reports will now be on a different cable network when it airs next year.

According to the IMDB movie web site, American Gods is described as: "A recently released ex-convict named Shadow meets a mysterious man who calls himself "Wednesday" and who knows more than he first seems to about Shadow's life and past."

The movie stars prolific English actor Ian McShane (Snow White and the Huntsmen, John Wick, Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides, Ray Donovan, The West Wing), who was on set for filming on Monday. Other recognizable names in the production include Crispin Glover and Cloris Leachman, although it is not known if either of them are in Guelph.

The film crew has rented The Flour Barrel to shoot both interior and exterior scenes, as well as the County of Wellington building (the old post office).

All other businesses in the area remain open and pedestrians can pass through between shots.