MTV is doing something right! Get this: the “Music Television” network is going to show something other than teenagers getting pregnant and celebrities watching viral videos. Brace yourselves, fantasy fans…Teen Wolf is getting a rival.
Last month, the news broke that MTV had green-lit a ten-episode series based on fantasy legend Terry Brooks‘ bestselling novel, The Elfstones of Shannara. Brooks is the second-highest-earning living fantasy author, behind only J.K. Rowling. There were rumors last December of a possible series, but it was officially confirmed by Brooks himself that they are going ahead with production. For those unfamiliar with the Shannara series, it revolves around the interactions of Earth’s inhabitants in the very distant future–including elves, dwarves, gnomes, trolls, and humans–as they battle evil and each other in a 9-sub-series set (excluding the pre-apocalyptic trilogy), starting with 1977’s Sword of Shannara. Elfstones is the second in Brooks’ original series, and to this day one of his most beloved tales. It follows Wil Ohmsford (grandson of the hero Shea from Sword) as he helps Amberle Elessedil, an elf and disgraced member of the royal family, save her people from being destroyed by a demon hoard using the magic of the Elfstones. Sounds thrilling, right?
Some big names in fantasy and science fiction have been attached to this project (giving weight to the argument that this is an attempt to recreate the success of HBO’s Game of Thrones). Brooks himself is signed on as a producer of the show, along with Iron Man director Jon Favreau, who was originally set to direct until scheduling conflicts upset those plans. Instead, the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie director, Jonathan Liebesman, will be taking the reins to direct the first two episodes. Additionally, Smallville writers Al Gough and Miles Miller are set to write the script for pilot episode.
No news has been released regarding casting, but fans are actively debating who they would cast as Amberle, Wil, or the very-popular (among fans, anyway) Druid, Allanon. Who would you cast as these iconic characters, fantasy fans? And don’t forget to check out Terry Brooks’ website and his Facebook page for additional updates!
Rachael Ashdown
Rachael is a freelance writer fresh out of college with a taste for fantasy, science fiction, and adventure. From Lord of the Rings to Doctor Who to Terry Brooks, she loves fictional worlds and the lore that inspired them. She has circumnavigated the globe, visited five continents in five years, and recently sailed aboard a tall ship in French Polynesia. She has a degree from Sweet Briar College in International Affairs, but her passion is writing, anything from sports articles to fan fiction to analyses of military theory. In her spare time she dreams of being one of Tolkien’s elves, practicing archery and wandering through forests wherever her travels take her.
