Netflix cemented its foothold in the fantasy world by giving the nod to Shadow and Bone in 2021. The series based on The Grishaverse by Leigh Bardugo follows Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li), an orphan mapmaker who is forced to fight against sinister forces after she brings a magical power capable of uniting her world to the fore.
The first season of the series which also featured The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian star Ben Barnes attracted encouraging reactions, leading to show creator Eric Heisserer getting the nod for chapter two, which premiered in March of this year. However, Netflix made a surprise decision to cut short Alina’s adventures, underlining just how uncertain the streaming world is.
Why Netflix Canceled Eric Heisserer’s Shadow and Bone
The SAG-AFTRA strike, which demanded fair compensation and working conditions for actors and other important individuals behind the making of television series and movies, put Hollywood effectively on a standstill from July to November.
The dispute between the American actors’ union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers subsequently led to major studios failing to deliver many planned projects on time, losing billions of dollars in the process. Accordingly, studios have become extra selective in deciding which stories to back.
After the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike, Netflix confirmed five shows, including Shadow and Bone, have been axed. The fantasy drama starring Ben Barnes had a staggering budget of between $3,000,000 and $4,999,999 per episode (via What’s on Netflix).
As per Deadline, the big-budget show’s second season’s failure to replicate the success of Season 1 was the likely factor in Netflix’s decision to cancel a third season. The potential delay of Season 3 may have also influenced their decision.
The news must’ve come as a bitter pill to swallow for everyone involved with Shadow and Bone, as the series creator Heisserer had hoped to continue the story as well as develop its spinoff, Six of Crows.
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What Were Shadow and Bone Creator’s Plans for the Big-Budget Fantasy Drama?
Warning: The following part may contain major spoilers from Shadow and Bone season 2.
The end of Shadow and Bone Season 2 sees Jessie Mei Li‘s character banish the Shadow Fold and slay its maker, the Darkling. However, despite initially announcing she won’t kill Mal to claim the third amplifier, she sees Mal die in her arm and eventually possesses the power of the Firebird, which helps her to destroy the Fold and kill Kirigin.
Speaking to EW, Heisserer had confirmed that a big part of the spin-off storyline would take place during the events of the Shadow and Bone Season 2 finale. Further, the plan was to run both Six of Crows and Shadow and Bone simultaneously, with Daegan Fryklind leading the latter.
Heisserer even opened a separate writers’ room to work on the spin-off series, but he was mindful of the fact that the Netflix green light depended on the original drama’s performance on the streaming platform. With Shadow and Bone now canceled, there are no plans for its spin-off as well.
