We attended the Shanarra Chronicles panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2015, and we’re more excited than ever for MTV’s new series to begin.
The panel — which was the cast’s first ever public appearance — was made up of author and executive producer Terry Brooks, executive producers Al Gough and Miles Millar, plus actors Ivana Baquero (Eretria), Manu Bennett (Allanon), Austin Butler (Wil Ohmsford), Poppy Drayton (Amberle Elessedil) and John Rhys-Davies (Eventine Elessedil). Moderated by TV Guide Magazine senior writer Damian Holbrook, the panel provided our first real look at the series — and we’re absolutely pumped for it.
The Shannara Chronicles was deemed too sweeping for film, and so it was pitched as a TV series, where they could really delve into the characters and the story. And if you’ve seen the trailer, then you know they’re not holding back.
Brooks, as an executive producer, says, “I promised my readers over the years, faithfully, I would not betray their trust and the integrity of the work by giving it to someone who’s going to wreck it.” Gough and Millar were also adamant that Brooks should be involved, saying “it’s crucial” to have him on the team. MTV has also been incredible, as they “saw this as a huge opportunity” to have a groundbreaking, contemporary fantasy on television.
The entire cast was praised time and time again for their youth, beauty, and talent — especially from the likes of John Rhys-Davies. “There’s something about this one that’s going to make it into an astonishingly important and wonderful series,” he says. “I look at this show, and it seems as if everything about it is right.” Adding, “If this show doesn’t succeed, I don’t know what will.”
Can you get higher praise than that?
The panel then discussed the fact that the show was filmed in New Zealand, using many of the crew that worked on the Lord of the Rings series. The expansive landscapes and sets found in New Zealand will certainly add to the scope of the show, which already feels as rich as a film.
Speaking of, this is also why both the author and the producers decided to focus on Elfstones, which is not the first book in the series, with Brooks stating it has a much broader scope, more strong female characters, and an unorthodox love triangle. He also thinks it’s a better book.
Fans of the series were also curious about how they would address the different generations found throughout the Shannara Chronicles series and how that would affect the future of the show, but the executive producers declined to answer, making us think they’ve definitely asked that same question and are already taking it into consideration.
At the end of the day, everyone seems aware of the fact that this property would normally not be considered for television, that it’s on a network which normally does not handle high fantasy concepts, and yet the cast and crew are so dedicated to this series. They have read the books. They believe in its potential. And they’re going to try their damnedest to please the fans.