The Shannara Chronicles is coming to MTV

Rac80

The Belle of the Ball
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As a Terry Brooks fan I am always excited about his Shannara books getting made into a movie/tv show. There have been a number of times since his first book was released that the books had been optioned but nothing ever came to fruition, but this time looks most promising! It seems MTV has optioned his Elfstones of Shannara for a series/miniseries. I don’t know when it will finally get made, but this is something that I will try whatever channel it is on!
In one of MTV’s most ambitious moves on the scripted side since Susanne Daniels became president, the network has given a script-to-series commitment to Shannara, a drama series based on Terry Brooks’ popular fantasy books.
The project, from Sonar Entertainment and Farah Films, has Iron Man helmer Jon Favreau on board to direct and will be written by Smallville creators Al Gough and Miles Millar. The trio will executive produce with Brooks and Dan Farah (The Crow remake).
If MTV likes the script, it is expected to give the project a straight-to-series order. Shannara reunites Gough and Millar with Daniels, who developed and put Smallville on the air while she was entertainment president at the WB. “I am thrilled to be working with the Smallville creators Al and Miles again along with the amazingly talented Jon Favreau,” Daniels said. “We feel that the Shannara novels are a perfect fit for MTV as this type of fantasy genre has continuously proved to resonate with our audience.”
Shannara is set in our world, thousands of years after the destruction of our civilization. The story is centered on the Shannara family, whose descendants are empowered with ancient magic and whose adventures continuously reshape the future of the world. The first season of the potential series will be based on The Elfstones Of Shannara, the second title in the series — a fan favorite accredited with cementing the series place in the fantasy world. The book series features plenty of young-adult adventure and romance to suit MTV’s target demographic. Shannara also would be compatible with MTV’s only successful drama series so far, Teen Wolf, which also has supernatural elements.{...}
http://www.terrybrooks.net/2013/12/elfstones-at-mtv-with-jon-favreau-smallville-duo/
 
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B

Backstep

Guest
As a Terry Brooks fan I am always excited about his Shannara books getting made into a movie/tv show. There have been a number of times since his first book was released that the books had been optioned but nothing ever came to fruition, but this time looks most promising! It seems MTV has optioned his Elfstones of Shannara for a series/miniseries. I don’t know when it will finally get made, but this is something that I will try whatever channel it is on!

http://www.terrybrooks.net/2013/12/elfstones-at-mtv-with-jon-favreau-smallville-duo/

A tween emo melodrama?
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
OMG, I'm not sure how to take this. I was a HUGE Terry Brooks fan as a kid. I still have the original Sword of Shannara book replete with fold-out color portrait by the brothers Hildebrandt. I'm a bit perplexed by the choice of going for the sequel book in the series instead of starting the show off from the beginning. But I guess I can see how the production costs wouldn't allow for something so epic.

Still, I found the Elfstones of Shannara story to be rather boring and lacking in depth and nuance. It seemed to just be a bridge to the Wishsong of Shannara and nothing more. That said, I can see how they could turn the story into a teen, emo thing because it's got young people in it, or rather, young elves and halflings. :rolleye0014: God help us if this turns out to be just another cheap Canadian production shot in the Vancouver woods (which it will be no doubt).

At any rate, I won't hold my breath that they do this story right. I'll tune in of course but make no promises about fidelity to the show. After all, I've had my fill of teen angst crap sandwiches thank you very much.
 

YJ02

Well Known GateFan
OMG, I'm not sure how to take this. I was a HUGE Terry Brooks fan as a kid. I still have the original Sword of Shannara book replete with fold-out color portrait by the brothers Hildebrandt. I'm a bit perplexed by the choice of going for the sequel book in the series instead of starting the show off from the beginning. But I guess I can see how the production costs wouldn't allow for something so epic.

Still, I found the Elfstones of Shannara story to be rather boring and lacking in depth and nuance. It seemed to just be a bridge to the Wishsong of Shannara and nothing more. That said, I can see how they could turn the story into a teen, emo thing because it's got young people in it, or rather, young elves and halflings. :rolleye0014: God help us if this turns out to be just another cheap Canadian production shot in the Vancouver woods (which it will be no doubt).

At any rate, I won't hold my breath that they do this story right. I'll tune in of course but make no promises about fidelity to the show. After all, I've had my fill of teen angst crap sandwiches thank you very much.

Bolded= exactly why MTV wants it :icon_lol:
 

YJ02

Well Known GateFan
the SHANNARA books are to Lord of the Rings as STARCRASH is to STAR WARS

(low budget, imagine-less rip offs) just putting that out there :winking0052::

 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
the SHANNARA books are to Lord of the Rings as STARCRASH is to STAR WARS

(low budget, imagine-less rip offs) just putting that out there :winking0052::

Terry Brooks admits to being "influenced" by Tolkien. To say the Shannara series is "derivative" of Tolkien would be putting it mildly though. The battle scenes, the characters, the situations -- all are very similar to LOTR. He did branch away from Tolkien in terms of tone and characters with successive books.

I'm not being an apologist for the guy, but for me I've always found Brooks to be more interesting than Tolkien. I read The Hobbit and attempted some other stuff of Tolkien but honestly I found his works to be plodding and boring. Brooks made the genre a lot more palatable for me. So for that he gets a pass. ;)
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
Here's the book cover I remember:

elfstones-of-shannara.jpeg
 

YJ02

Well Known GateFan
Terry Brooks admits to being "influenced" by Tolkien. To say the Shannara series is "derivative" of Tolkien would be putting it mildly though. The battle scenes, the characters, the situations -- all are very similar to LOTR. He did branch away from Tolkien in terms of tone and characters with successive books.

I'm not being an apologist for the guy, but for me I've always found Brooks to be more interesting than Tolkien. I read The Hobbit and attempted some other stuff of Tolkien but honestly I found his works to be plodding and boring. Brooks made the genre a lot more palatable for me. So for that he gets a pass. ;)


"I un-friend you!"

:icon_rotflmao:
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
OMG! Even the artist has no imagination! Seems he/she took their motivation from watching an Errol Flynn Robin Hood movie

The artwork for the first book -- The Sword of Shannara -- was done by the brother's Hildebrandt. They were talented artists who created some cool stuff ala Tolkien back then:


Greg and Tim Hildebrandt began painting professionally in 1959 as the Brothers Hildebrandt. They are best known for their popular The Lord of the Rings calendar illustrations,[3] painting the first bilingual Star Wars film poster,[4] illustrating comics for Marvel Comics and DC Comics, original oil paintings for a limited edition of Terry Brooks's The Sword of Shannara,[3] and their Magic: The Gathering and Harry Potter illustrations forWizards of the Coast.


Someone named Darrell K. Sweet did the cover art for Elfstones though. The difference in aesthetic quality is stunning as you've pointed out. ;)
 

Rac80

The Belle of the Ball
getting very excited about this show. I hope MTv doesn't get too teen-angsty with it. But I admit I am overall pleased with the actors chosen for the show- and Brooks being heavily involved gives me hope for a good show. :D
 

Rac80

The Belle of the Ball
Ok here it is- the first trailer for the Chronicles of Shannara (I understand if it gets a season 2 it will be based on the wishsong of shannara! :D )


It looks amazing- and it's from MTv- go figure. Love the look of the Ellcrys and the elfstones. :D
 

YJ02

Well Known GateFan
From the books (which I know nothing about)

looks like it is a very visual show, might even watch it

(boy, has MTV really gone astray of its roots!)

 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
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Tripler

Well Known GateFan
Not familiar with the books though I am not a huge reader other than motorcycle service manuals .
From the preview I can feel a bit of The 100 flare but much much better qaulity and yes visually stunning and quite epic from what I saw so far ...
Looks like a watcher for sure...

Thanks shaved

:) :) :)
 

YJ02

Well Known GateFan
We've got a thread on it already. I'm looking forward to the show because I'm a fan of the books. I just hope they don't turn it into a teen angst melodrama.

http://www.gatefans.net/gforums/threads/elfstones-of-shannara-to-come-to-mtv.27292/#post-885960

so merge the thread using the title of this thread since it is the name MTV is using

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and, did I see images of rusted and rotted 20th century stuff? like high and dry rusted ships, Seattle space needle,etc..

if so, how do we have "elves" in the story?


Thanks shaved

:) :) :)

Hey!?!

WTH? I put up the thread :icon_e_surprised: :icon_lol:
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
so merge the thread using the title of this thread since it is the name MTV is using

-----------------

and, did I see images of rusted and rotted 20th century stuff? like high and dry rusted ships, Seattle space needle,etc..

if so, how do we have "elves" in the story?





Hey!?!

WTH? I put up the thread :icon_e_surprised: :icon_lol:

I was wondering the same thing...

This is why sometimes I have a problem with Fantasy shows. In them, everything is possible.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Is this series the typical elves/orcs/fairies thing with swords and sandals? I am totally unfamiliar with the books.


More specifically, is it derivative? Will it remind me of other books/stories?
 
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