The Shannara Chronicles

Lore & Background

The series was produced by Dan Farah, Jon Favreau, Miles Millar, Al Gough, Jonathan Liebesman, and author Terry Brooks. Filming took place in New Zealand at Auckland Film Studios and on location. The first season consisted of 10 episodes and premiered on MTV on January 5, 2016. A second season was greenlit in April 2016, and in May 2017 it was announced the series would relocate to Spike (now Paramount Network). The second season premiered on October 11, 2017, and concluded on November 22, 2017.

Reader's Guide

The Shannara Chronicles represents a notable attempt to adapt Terry Brooks' fantasy novels for television, following the storylines of The Elfstones of Shannara (the second book of the trilogy) with elements from other novels. The series was cancelled after two seasons on January 16, 2018, with producers shopping it to other networks; it was later considered officially concluded. Its legacy includes being one of the few fantasy series to air on MTV and later Spike, and it introduced a younger audience to Brooks' world. The show featured a cast including Austin Butler, Poppy Drayton, Ivana Baquero, and Manu Bennett, and its production in New Zealand contributed to the local film industry.

Did You Know?

• The series was filmed in the Auckland Film Studios and on location elsewhere in New Zealand.
• The opening theme song, 'Until We Go Down', is performed by Ruelle.
• The first season adapts The Elfstones of Shannara, the second book of the trilogy, not the first book (The Sword of Shannara).
• The series was cancelled on January 16, 2018, after two seasons.