Why Netflix Canceled Shadow And Bone

Adapting fantasy novels for TV can be incredibly difficult, but Netflix's "Shadow and Bone" made it look easy. The show had a decent head start thanks to author Leigh Bardugo's Grishaverse novels already having great stories, characters, and worldbuilding, but the streaming series brought the fictional land of Ravka and its neighboring nations to a whole new audience. Not only that, but the show seamlessly combined the original trilogy with Bardugo's later Six of Crows novels, creating a new version of the "Shadow and Bone" story that's arguably stronger. Unfortunately, the show was cut short after Season 2 ended.

At Netflix, that isn't usually a surprise, but it hurt extra for "Shadow and Bone" fans. The series earned stellar reviews and was quite popular with subscribers, but the streamer ultimately decided to cut the cord for a couple of reasons. For one, "Shadow and Bone" Season 2 didn't reach the same level of success as the 1st season, never landing that coveted No. 1 spot on the Netflix TV charts.

For a show with as big of a budget and marketing push as "Shadow and Bone" had, that may have given executives cold feet. Of course, not everything needs to be "Stranger Things" to earn a 3rd season, but early cancellations have been par for the course at Netflix for years. For "Shadow and Bone," though, there were likely other factors at play.

In 2023, SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America went on strike for months to negotiate more equitable contracts with the major Hollywood studios. It was a necessary act to ensure basic AI protections for writers and performers, and to begin repairing a streaming royalty model that was severely detrimental, among other things. Of course, months of striking also meant major delays across TV and film, and "Shadow and Bone" was one of the properties caught in that unfortunate timing.

The loss of any show is small in comparison to the progress made by workers in the industry. Still, it's sad to know that these delays likely played a role in the decision to cancel the series. Given the viewership numbers for Season 2, the show might have ended there anyway. We'll never know for sure, but as previously mentioned, Netflix's track record with renewals isn't great.

Leigh Bardugo took to Instagram in November 2023 after news of the show's cancellation broke. While she lamented the premature end, she also celebrated what the TV team made, writing, "Most authors never get to see their work adapted. Many who do end up regretting the experience. I'm one of the lucky few who can look at an adaptation with pride and tremendous joy."

The ending of "Shadow and Bone" Season 2 wraps up some major storylines, most notably those involving the Darkling (Ben Barnes), but it also leaves other threads hanging. Lead protagonist Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li) finishes the season by killing a would-be assailant with a shadow cut. That dark technique was used frequently by the Darkling himself, and Alina seems to find a kind of perverse joy in the act during her final scene. A villain arc for her would have been fascinating to watch (and a big departure from the novels). Another season also could have explored material from Leigh Bardugo's later Grishaverse novels, like "King of Scars" and "Rule of Wolves."

Along with Season 3, Netflix had planned on launching a "Six of Crows" spin-off series to complete the stories told in that duology, some of which bled into the two existing "Shadow and Bone" seasons. The Six of Crows books are arguably the most popular, and those characters are also highlights on the show. Many of their storylines — like the relationship between Kaz Brekker (Freddy Carter) and Inej Ghafa (Amita Suman) and the rescue of Matthias Helvar (Calahan Skogman) — are left obviously hanging at the end of Season 2.

The Shadow and Bone books are very complex, and they could have sustained a streaming franchise for years. It's always a shame to see a show go before its time, but doubly so when it was doing so many things right.