MTV developing "Shannara" best-selling fantasy novels adaptation

MTV developing

PanARMENIAN.Net - MTV is looking for its own Game of Thrones. The Viacom-owned cable network is teaming with Jon Favreau and Smallville duo Al Gough and Miles Millar to adapt Terry Brooks' international best-selling fantasy novels Shannara, The Hollywood Reporter said.

From Sonar Entertainment, the development deal comes with a straight-to-series commitment, so should network brass like the script, the fantasy drama would bypass the traditional pilot stage.

The Shannara series first started in 1977 with The Sword of Shannara and encompasses multiple trilogies and a prequel, totaling 25 books, with Brooks most recently publishing Witch Wraith in July. Another three books are due to be published in 2014.

Shannara takes place thousands of years after the destruction of our civilization. The story centers on the Shannara family, whose descendants are empowered with ancient magic and whose adventures continuously reshape the future of the world. Should the project go to series, producers -- including Brooks, Favreau, Gough, Millar and Dan Farah -- plan to base the first season on The Elfstones of Shannara. The second title in the series, published in 1982, spent 16 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list and is credited with cementing the series in the fantasy world. The series has more than 26 million copies in print in the U.S. alone, according to Random House imprint Del Rey, which has published the series since the start.

The Shannara books are estimated to be the highest-selling un-adapted fantasy book series in the world. Brooks is considered to be the second-highest-selling living fantasy author, trailing only Harry Potter mastermind J.K. Rowling.

Favreau will direct and executive produce the project alongside Gough and Millar. The Smallville duo will write and executive produce if the project goes to series.

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