Shannara movie?

[Dioltach]

From an interview with Terry Brooks:

Q: I can't understand why Hollywood has never adopted the Shannara books, or indeed the Knight of the Word books. Have your books been optioned? Is there any chance of a movie?

TB: I have sold options to various movie studios on both Shannara and Magic Kingdom over the years, as early as the late seventies. But the experiences were not pleasant, and after awhile, I withdrew the invitation to even talk about it. That changed with the production of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, both of which demonstrated in no uncertain terms how far special effects had advanced and how good movies could be made based on solid story telling. So earlier this year I optioned the Shannara series to Warner Brothers. There is reason to think that they intend to do something important with it. But, as usual, it's wait and see time.

Still very vague, but seeing as Shannara is one of the longest-lasting fantasy series, I reckon it might just happen.

 

[Ranger REG]

From an interview with Terry Brooks:



Still very vague, but seeing as Shannara is one of the longest-lasting fantasy series, I reckon it might just happen.

I only read the first three books, though. So, either the Sword, Elfstone, or Wishsong would be all right with me.

 

[Kaodi]

Shannara would work really well as a super-series, because 99% of the actors only have to sign up for no more than four movies. We could be watching Shannara films for decades and never have to worry about having two people play one character.

 

[lrsach01]

I've been trying to find the quote but I've had no luck. So consider this hearsay until it can be confirmed. The first book to get the movie treatment would be Elfstones of Shannara. I've heard that Sword of Shannara was seen as too much like Lord of the Rings and that Elfstones was easier to make into a screen play. I don't know if any of that is true, but it sounds right. I would LOVE to see this book made into a movie since its my favorite of the series.

 

[Brogarn]

I see in my future announcements of a Shannara movie followed by many months... years even... of nervous hope that it's done right and doesn't suck.

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

I've only read the first book (Sword of Shannara"?) I have to say I really disliked it, and thought it was less original than the Eragon series. Maybe the later books improve, but I can't get excited about a movie based on the first book.

 

[Jubilee]

I liked the Knight of the Word books quite a bit more than either magic kingdom or shannara, I wish they would make it into a movie!!

 

[Ranger REG]

I've only read the first book (Sword of Shannara"?) I have to say I really disliked it, and thought it was less original than the Eragon series. Maybe the later books improve, but I can't get excited about a movie based on the first book.

Then I'm glad to have read SoS before Eragon was published. I must confess, I read the Shannara trilogy way before I read the LOTR/Hobbit

 

[Dioltach]

I read Sword back in the early 1980s, and I have to say, at the time it didn't seem derivative. The sad truth was that there wasn't much around in the way of epic fantasy back then.

In Sometimes the Magic Works, Terry Brooks explains that Lester del Rey took Sword on as a project to demonstrate that there was a huge untapped market for fantasy books. Sword was selected specifically because it was similar to Lord of the Rings, and would be a recognisable format for the first of its kind to be published for 20 years.

All in all, I think that the fantasy genre owes a great deal to Terry Brooks and, in particular, Lester del Rey.

That said, no, I don't think that Sword would make a good movie. Perhaps before Peter Jackson had done LotR, but not now. Elfstones would be good, or First King, or possibly the Voyage of the Jerle Shannara series.

 

[Piratecat]

[Traditional Shannara threadcrap] They made the Shannara movies. They were called "The Lord of the Rings. [/threadcrap]

Interesting. I agree with Dioltach; I'd rather see Elfstones than Sword.