MTV’s New York Comic-con trailer for upcoming fantasy series The Shannara Chronicles seems to cram in just about every fantasy trope out there. Based on the novels by Terry Brooks – the series centres around The Elfstones of Shannara, however there are nearly thirty books in the cycle – the show introduces us to The Four Kingdoms, a post-apocalyptic version of North America which has reverted to a pre-industrial state.
Primitive technology and magic co-exist; dwarves, gnomes and elves reside over their respective domains; and the great elven tree Ellcrys – the barrier between the kingdoms and the demon world – is entering its death throes. The world’s only hope comes in the form of Amberle, an elven princess and protector of the devine shrub. As demons are released unto the realm, Amberle and her companions, Eretia and Will, must unlock a great and ancient magic if they are to save The Four Kingdoms.
The series stars Poppy Drayton, Austin Butler, Ivana, Baquero, Manu Bennett, Emelia Burns, Brooke Williams and John Rhys-Davies. Jon Favreau (Iron Man, The Jungle Book) is on board as executive-producer, and Smallville creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar have reunited as showrunners. The trailer gives us some wonderfully etherial vistas of a shattered world reclaimed by nature; though we learn little about the characters we will undertake this epic journey with.
As with any series based fantasy, budgetary constraints are always an issues, and The Shannara Chronicles looks to contain some questionable CGI and fight sequences. However, this is our first real look into the myth-infused realms of the show, and the creature design alone has peaked my interest. Let’s hope the series can balance its self-serious genre elements with the inevitable campness of the project.
The Shannara Chronicles will premiere on MTV on January 5, 2016. Check out the trailer below:
#Peace.Love.Shannara
