As networks and studios try to find the next GAME OF THRONES or LORD OF THE RINGS, hundreds of fantasy series are getting second looks in the hopes they could be the next success story. Terry Brooks’ SHANNARA series consists of 26 books and has spawned video games and now will become a television series thanks to MTV and director Jon Favreau.
SHANNARA will be given a series order off the bat as MTV is committing to at least 13 episodes of the high fantasy show. Favreau will direct at least the pilot for the show which will be scripted by Al Gough and Miles Millar. Gough and Millar are best known as the creators of The CW series SMALLVILLE. It is unknown if MTV will be rebranding SHANNARA as a teen-marketed show or if they will retain the story from the novels.
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.
Deadline says the series may be inspired by the second novel in the SHANNARA series, The Elfstones of Shannara. Terry Brooks’ books are the second-highest grossing fantasy series after J.K Rowling’s HARRY POTTER novels and have never been adapted before.
Based on MTV’s scripted series to date, there is not much comparison to what SHANNARA will be. The network has never created such a sprawling show before so it is hard to tell if it will be on par with a pay cable series like GAME OF THRONES or something closer to the cheesy special effects of SMALLVILLE. I would venture to guess with Jon Favreau involved that they are going for something a little more epic to which I say bring it on. I would love to see another high caliber fantasy series on TV.