Terry Brooks Talks Shannara TV Series

Difference between the book and the series?

The visuals will lend an astonishing new perspective to your imagining of the story – hopefully in a good way. Also, the writers are fleshing out and adding new material to the book, so that we have some new characters and some new plot lines for the series. This will be a change – again – from the book, but I think we all have to remember that a change of medium requires an understanding that each new effort is an adaptation of the old, not a paint by the numbers. I am way cool with the changes, and I find it interesting to imagine how I would have incorporated them in the book, had I thought to do so. But I think once you’ve done something, you should leave it alone. This is a different imagining, but one that I have kept watch over while it is being developed and which I very much approve.

Is WETA special effects involved (who did The Hobbit)?

WETA is not involved at the present time, although other [New Zealand] special effects companies are. This might change at a later date.

The first season of Shannara will be based on The Elfstones Of Shannara. Manu Bennet has been cast as Allanon, Austin Butler is playing Whil Ohmsford, Ivana Baquero is playing Eretria, Poppy Drayton has been cast Amberle Elessedil, Aaron Jakubenko as Ander, and John Rhys-Davies is playing King Eventine.