Disney-ABC, Raimi Adapting Wizard’s First Rule for Syndication

Disney-ABC Domestic Television and director Sam Raimi are developing a live-action adaptation of Terry Goodkind’s The Sword of Truth fantasy series. The new series, Wizard’s First Rule, will be available for fall 2008.

"Terry Goodkind is a brilliant author and I fell in love with his books, reading them with my family," Raimi said. "In discussing these incredible story lines and rich characters with my friends and partners Robert Tapert and Josh Donen, we agreed that Wizard's First Rule would make an amazing television series -- one that could be produced with compelling, self-contained episodes."

ABC Studios will produce the series. Raimi -- who directed films such as the Spider-Man trilogy -- will serve as executive producer.

The Sword of Truth series of books has been tremendously successful and has been translated into more than 20 languages. Fantasy shows, such as Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules, have done well on syndication in the past.