Terry Brooks’ best selling fantasy universe of Shannara is headed to television.
According to Variety, Sonar Entertainment and Farah Entertainment have partnered to bring Brooks’ fantasy series to television.
Farah Films principal Dan Farah and Sonar Entertainment CEO Stewart Till will exec produce with Brooks. Producers plan to recruit a showrunner and director before they shop the project to network buyers.
Set hundreds of years after the destruction of our civilization, series follows the Shannara family, who are empowered with ancient magic and whose adventures continuously reshape the future of the world. The plan is to base the show’s first season on “The Elfstones of Shannara,” the second book in the series.
“Partnering with Sonar Entertainment and Farah Films on adapting the Shannara saga for television is an exciting prospect,” said Brooks, who is repped by Anne Sibbald of Janklow and Nesbit Associates. “Everything about both companies suggests the result will be one that both old and new fans of the books will readily embrace. I am committed to doing everything I can to help make this happen.”
“Terry has created a rich world of characters and stories that have entertained millions of readers all around the world for a quarter of a century,” Farah said. “He has a built-in fanbase that is bigger than those for even the most recent hit book series, like The Hunger Games. We’re very excited and proud to have the opportunity to partner with Terry in adapting his great work for the smallscreen.”
“Terry Brooks appeals to a huge and diverse cross-section of audiences throughout the world,” Till added. “There is an enormous desire to see Shannara brought to life for television. We know this is going to be a terrific series that will both delight longtime fans and attract legions of new devotees.”
WHY would they start with the SECOND book in the series? I have not read the series – how will I know what’s going on if they just dive in?
That being said, hopefully they do a better job adapting the story than they did with the Legend of the Seeker! What a muddled mess that was!
I agree. The first book was fabulous. It sets the tone for the whole thing.
Because if they base it on the first book the current holders of “The Lord of the Rings” rights might come asking them some difficult questions.
I have the same feeling of dread that NotMe does… please, oh please, you miserable Hollywood bastards, don’t screw this up like you did the ‘Legend of the Seeker’. Gods, what cluster that was! Absolutely pathetic.
And as for starting with Elfstones rather than Sword, I recall it being a touch more exciting when I read it as a kid, and I assume that’s why they started with that book instead of Sword… because, I mean, really, who wants to spend the first season of your show leading your audience to the discovery of the whole Shanara world? Let’s just jump right in and bypass all of that education, yes? Feh!
I sincerely hope to the Flying Spaghetti Monster that I’m wrong about how bad this is going to be. Because I REALLY want to see it done right, in much the same way I wanted Game of Thrones to be done… which was actually done right! Who knew, right?
It would be a REALLY refreshing change to see a novel or book series adaptation NOT f*(ked up. Really. Show some stones and go for it, idiots.
Haven’t read it but will check it out if it’s on a channel I can get. Still mad at Dish for dropping AMC…I’m gonna need my Walking Dead fix.
I hope they don’t gang-rape this series the way Raimi and Biller did “Legend of the Seeker”.
Shannara! Shannara?! Before they make that into a TV show somebody should make Game of Thr. . .oh yeah. Nevermind.
Hopefullu if will go to a network that appreceiates good literature. The last thing this needs is o go to the likes f ScyFy that will cancel a good or outstading series because it gets more expensive than Wrestling or yet another realility series.
I would really like to see a series of movies based upon Steven R. Donaldson’s White Gold Wielder series. That would be an on par with the Tolkien works. What do you think?