Dear Readers,
I may have alluded to a pending movie deal some two or three months back. That deal has now been consummated, and the announcement of the details to date is set out below. Remember, this is just an option, and if the option isn’t picked up the movie doesn’t happen. That said, we have interest from a major actor, a screen writer who is working on a draft of the adaptation, and reason to believe after talking to the principals that this time we have more than words to suggest something might really happen. More, when we have more.
For now, here is the announcement:
MAGIC KINGDOM FOR SALE – SOLD! To Warners and Weed Road
Warner Brothers has optioned Terry Brooks’ best-selling MAGIC KINGDOM OF LANDOVER series of books for Akiva Goldsman’s Weed Road Pictures and Andy Cohen’s Grade A Entertainment. Goldsman and Cohen will produce with Weed Road’s Kerry Foster and Alex Block overseeing for Weed Road. Warner Brothers’ Matt Cherniss brought the book series into the studio and will run point. Brooks was represented by Anne Sibbald of Janklow & Nesbit Associates.
The film will be based on the first book in the series, MAGIC KINGDOM FOR SALE – SOLD!, which was first published in 1986 by Del Rey Books, a division of Random House. The most recent book in the six book, ongoing series is A PRINCESS OF LANDOVER which came out in 2009. Other titles in the series are: THE BLACK UNICORN, WIZARD AT LARGE, THE TANGLE BOX, and WITCHES BREW.
Brooks is a prolific author best known for the LANDOVER series and the SHANNARA series of fantasy books, which began with THE SWORD OF SHANNARA. There are currently 19 books in the SHANNARA series with the next book due out later this year.
Weed Road is in preproduction on A WINTER’S TALE written and to be directed by Goldsman. Recent credits include PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 and FAIR GAME.
Cohen last produced UNTRACEABLE starring Diane Lane. He’s currently working on the stage show, HEATHERS – THE MUSICAL and the indie film, IN SIGHT.
More when I know it. Be good to one another in the meantime,
58 responses to “BrooksBlog: Hollywood Is Going To Landover”
I hope it comes to pass. That was one of the first books that truly hooked me into your writing. If you could choose the actors for the major roles are there any you would specificly like to see?
*crosses fingers*
Maybe we’ll get a movie after all! Only time will tell.
I always loved the Landover Series. Quirky characters are one of my weaknesses. 🙂
I hope the option actually turns into a movie! Good luck!
Robin
Time will tell. This is only the first step of many it takes to produce a movie. But it is an important step and Terry is super happy that it is with Andy Cohen and Akiva Goldsman and Warner Bros. Now we wait on a script. There is already a writer for it and a major actor is attached, so when we get the script and if it works — the movie could be greenlit into production. THEN we’ll have something to talk about! haha
I was only 7 or 8 when my dad handed me MAGIC KINGDOM FOR SALE – SOLD!. It was the first real ‘adult’ book I had read, and it made me fall in love with the fantasy genre. I will be ecstatic if this deal comes to fruition!
Great news! I hope that with an actor wanting to be in it, and a screen writer working on the adaptation it will come to fruition soon.
Congratulations I know you have worked and waited on this happening for a long time.
I truly hope this comes to fruition…
All this talk of fruition has made me hungry.
I found Magic Kingdom for sale- sold! By chance on my way to a camping trip in a little town I stopped in on the way. I was being rushed so I grabbed the first book in the fantasy section. Boy was I surprised at what I got into. I had no idea how big Terry was at the time and made a point to stop in that same shop to buy every book they had published by him. Ha,ha.
If this book is made into a movie I dearly hope they do it justice.
Quite possibly the best news that I have ever read on my birthday!
While I’m more of a Shannara guy and would rather have seen a movie from that series, I still wish this project all the best!!!
I hope they do the movie, AND do a good job at it. Can’t wait to see what happens. Good luck.
This is great to hear, I personally enjoyed the series even if I just recently read them, with the exception of Princess over the past year. I would really love to see Wizard at Large pushed onto the big screen. Of course My personal request and favorite is for Elfstones of Shannara to make it as well.
Landover does have the potential, lets treat Terry’s Books with the passion they deserve Hollywood!
Good Luck Terry
cool, hope it comes through
I am so happy. As a child I had a very difficult time reading books. When I was about 19 I went to a library with a friend and saw “The Tangle box” sitting on a shelf and was so intrigued by the cover that I read the first few pages. I realized that it was not the first book in the series and had to find the first book. I searched for Magic Kingdom For Sale -SOLD and was instantly hooked. This was the very first book I could read, on my own, and understand and follow. I have been a fan ever since! Thank you so much!
Great news and I do hope it’s good, I just don’t want it to be converted into another Eragon
Good news! thanks for letting us know and I look forward to hearing more when more is known!
Bout time! I’ve read this book like, a hundred times! By far my favorite TB book. It was the book that truly solidified my addiction to Terry Brooks. Was the 2nd book I read in high school after Sword, now over 20 years ago.
IMHO, this is the best book to option for a movie the first time out. It starts here on earth (easy to film) with law offices, apartment complexes and such in Chicago. But whoever does it needs to do Landover correctly… not just use some place here on earth. (Thinking Never Ending Story-ish more so than LOTR).
Now, on to having some fun with this:
Opening credits could be the flashback to Annie’s accident.
Ben Holiday?? – Hugh Jackman (could be both the lawyer, alcoholic, king and lover to Willow) Also maybe Gerard Butler.
Willow?? – (Hard one, somebody with quiet intensity. She needs to look worried all the time, but beautiful.) Holly Berry would look nice dyed green! Rebecca Romjin?
Questor?? – Christopher Plummer perhaps. Someone who can do dignified but be comedic also.
Kallendbor – Sean Bean
Miles – Oliver Platt
Nightshade – Megan Fox (Dark and can do creepy), or Angelina Jolie… or even Liv Tyler.
Lots of CGI! Good luck, Matt Cherniss!
Finally, Hollywood came to their senses.
Is it too easy to ask who the major actor is? Perhaps the character they are interested in? I would assume Ben Holiday but…you never know. Anyway, great news that we can only hope comes to pass.
Easy to ask. You won’t get an answer. 🙂 The major actor interested has a specific writer he works with and that writer is taking his crack at developing a script based on Terry’s book. We’ll see what happens. If the script is good and the actor likes it, I’m sure the movie will be greenlit into production. If he doesn’t like it, I doubt the project will go forward. In short, we have to keep our fingers crossed and hope for some magic.
Great news Shawnee lets hope it gets the green light.Terry’s work deserves to be on the big screen.Hope your ok too mate all the best
WOW! Great news! The best part is Warner Bro’s taking the lead. We all know WB makes fantastic movies i.e. the Matrix trilogy, Batman, Harry Potter, and so on. For fantasy and science fiction, I don’t think any other studio can do better. **Happy Paws**
[…] the man himself: Warner Brothers has optioned Terry Brooks’ best-selling MAGIC KINGDOM OF LANDOVER series of […]
Excellent news. I hope this is greenlit very soon and that all concerned make a good movie that is true to the book.
🙁
So glad to hear the news. Hope it works out. In my opinion, Nicholas Cage would make a fine Ben. And for Willow.. maybe the girl who played Luna in the Harry Potter movies(can’t think of her name offhand). Will keep my fingers crossed. The rest of the world needs to discover what all of your fans already know…how truly wonderful your writing is.
[…] broke the news via his web […]
Splendid news. I hope it continues to go forward.
This would be so awesome if they really did go with making his book into a movie. Terry Brooks is such a great writer and inspiration to me.
I think Tom Hanks would make a great Ben Holiday 🙂
I’m just say’ in…
Good luck, keeping my figures crossed that the screen write is as great as this book.
This could be huge, like the Potter series!
Yippppeeeee
Remember how great Julia Roberts was as tinker bell in Hook? Hmmmmm thinking of Willow, an unknown perhaps?
Hadn’t thought of Tom Hanks as Ben Holiday, but it sounds like a good role for him. Would definitely need to be someone with comedic timing. Reading the books again made me realize what a great movie it would make. Keep your fingers crossed!
Nobody has mentioned Tom Cruise, he is the absolute perfect Ben. Second would have to be Nicky Cage !
I think Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio would do a wonderful Willow. The key to the whole thing is money. If the first movie is done well and makes money there will be more. The amount of money to create a movie has become crazy. We can only sit back and watch. Fantasy has become more popular thanks in part to the Lord of the Rings movies. Lets hope it’s not just a phase. Lets also hope they take the time to do it right. Although it seems Terry will make sure of this.
Thomas Jane for Ben Holiday! Don’t care what you say!
How ’bout I just go eat some hay! I could make things out of clay and lay by the bay, I just may! What do ya say?
I started to read the Shannara series in the 90’s, then moved on to the Word and the Void series.Total bliss. I then decided to read the Landover series as of late and I must admit that I was hooked ! I thought that the Landover novels were a bit ‘tongue-in-cheek’ (look at Quester Thews, nice one Terry,..). So whatever happens (including a film), what remains is a bloody good novel and I don’t care what people say, but when you sit down and have a good read… you know what I mean..Thanks Terry
As many here, Landover was the first book by Terry Brooks that I read and what started me on this wonderful Journey that is Terry Brooks novels. It took me a while to get caught up with all of his books which I have now read, and now it is always a waiting game for me as i always read his newest book every August when it first comes out….then it is a long year’s wait until the next novel. This would be wonderful news if this does come about. The world will love being introduced to Ben, Quester and Abernathy and all the rest of the wonderful characters that make up the world of Landover.
I’m an avid Shannara reader from the UK and have loved Terry’s books for decades – reading them over and over again. However, I haven’t read any of the Landover books yet and I need to address that post haste. I’m extremely pleased that Terry Brooks is finally getting the recognition that he deserves but I’m a little disappointed that it’s not the fantastic world of Shannara that isn’t hitting the big screen first. Well done, Terry!
I am so pumped about this. I was surprised when I learned that Brooks got his idea for the series from Lester Del Rey, but I like the direction he took the idea in – it highlights Brooks’s writing skills in ways that don’t get as much play in the Shannara universe. Hopefully these movies would be handled with care by the producers and Brooks will get say in it. And a Scions of Shannara 4 movie series would be AMAZING. Walker Boh FTW.
I am happy a movie might finally be made. My only wish is that it would have been one of the shannara books would have been picked. I think more of an action story made into a movie would have been a better choice to launch these amazing books to the masses. Hopefully this is only a preview of things to come…
Exciting new! Just hope they dont end up changing the story into something totally different. I’ll be watching and waiting.
Our family loved the Shannara series all of them but haven’t read the Landover books yet but it looks like time we did. Loved your work Terry.
Cant wait for the new books, I have all the books and just started buying signed copies on line. Can’t wait for the movies to start. I hope the will not stop at the land over series. Good luck and health
Robby
While I am glad for Terry that one of his series has made it to the big screen, I am sad because I wanted it to be the Shannara world that made it.
As I see it, if Game of Thrones can be made into a TV series, Shannara would be ten times better. Not dissing GoT but come on here. They would have like 10 times the content to draw story lines from with Shannara as compared to GoT. Also, Shannara is more family friendly than GoT.
Oh well, gratz Terry. Hope to see more of your ideas in video form.
Respectfully,
Heilagr
I agree finally Hollywood has come to its senses. Mr.Brooks has been an untapp resource of creativity since he first step onto the fantasy scene back in the early 80s and my only regrett is that I was hoping it would have been the Shanara Series. But at least Hollywood has now recognized one of the best, if not the best, next to Tolkien of course, Fantasy Writers of our time. Now lets hope they build a long lasting relationship and the World of Mr. Brooks continues to expose itself on the Silverscreen for years to come.
I loved reading the Landover series. Magic Kingdom was the first Brooks book that I read. I love the story and all of it’s delightful characters. If it comes out on film I will be one of the first in line to see it.
Though I do agree that Shannara would have been amazing on sreen as well. Can you imagine Allanon on the big screen? That would be awsome!
This is great news. I will be hopeing and waiting for it to come to past. I love all of Terrys books, but the Shannara series are my favorite. While I was reading each of the Shanara books, a thought always crossed my mind, wouldn’t this be a great movie. Just like The Lord of the Rings was a hit. I rather see my up most favorite druid Allanon or Walker portrayed on the big screen. But Landover is a mysterios magical place of its own too. So I am happy for my upmost favorite writer Terry Brooks. I am excited !!!!
Sword of Shannara next. That’s it that’s all folks!! Bring it on Brooks. Just finished reading the Genesis series and Bearers of the Black Staff. Sword of Shannara would be more epic than Lord of the Rings! Do it already!! Big fan always.
ryan
I can name only one person who can play Ben Holliday: Sam Neill.
I hope this movie gets made. I love the series, its one of the books that made me pick up a pen and start writing. and if we’re picking actors….
Ben Holiday: Jensen Ackles (Dean Winchester and just a fantastic actor) or Ryan Renolds (I know hes been in a lot of stuff lately, but I think he could do it, just not as well as Akcles) or Edward Norton, but really I think Ackles is the best man for the job.
Meeks: John Hurt or Bill Nighy
Quester Thews: Christopher Lloyd
Strabo: Sean Connery, Christopher Lee, or Liam Neeson
Abernathy: Stephen Fry
Thats all i got for now. I’ll think up more later.
I’ve been reading Terry since I was thirteen,im 46 now and always thought his books should be brought to life for the rest of the world to see. Maybe if kingdom does good shannara will follow,im so happy about this. Thanks to whoever got this in motion.
it’s about time this happened. ever since reading magic kingdom for sale/sold i have been hooked on terry brooks. i am always looking for the next novel and slowly but surely i’m getting a nice little collection from landover to shannara. i love the word and the void and the bearers of the black staff. i have read just about all these novels, some i still have to find. glad that there isa couple new ones comming out soon andi will deffenately be buying them. great to hear Terry is finaly making it to the movies. it should have happened a long time ago
As much as I love the Landover series, I can’t help but feel a movie is a bad idea. Too many books have been shredded like that on screen. If they did it right, it would be amazing, but I have serious doubts. I really hope that I am wrong, and that it does get done, and gets done right.
I see Steve Carell is rumored for this role. If true, congratulations, Terry. I’ll be interested to see how he fits the part. Fingers crossed this all comes to fruition.
Where does it say that Carell is rumored?
http://collider.com/steve-carell-magic-kingdom-for-sale-sold/151165/
Now that I’ve opened up my email, I see how many people have written into me today. haha Looks like the news has broken all over the place.
Back in the 80’s I was a huge reader, light under the blankets at night, on the bus, in the car, pretty much anywhere I could. Mr. Brooks had the most captivating novels that drew me to continue reading fantasy books. After high school I quite reading as much and recently after hitting 40 and having two daughters found myself back into reading the Landover novels and the Shannara novels to my daughters. They love them as much as I did, and even though I may not have the same enthusiasm to see theses on the big screen as some, I wanted to tell Mr. Brooks thank you for bringing your two worlds to me and my daughters through your books, a time and place we share that has become a tradition for us and hopefully for our family’s generations to come. Thank you Terry Brooks.