Shadow and Bone (TV series)

"The Little Palace can be a bit of a maze."

This article is about the TV adaptation. You may be looking for the book.

Shadow and Bone is a Netflix adaptation of the Grisha Trilogy and Six of Crows Duology by Leigh Bardugo. The series, announced on January 10, 2019, was created, written and executive produced by showrunner Eric Heisserer, and executive produced by Leigh Bardugo, Shawn Levy, Pouya Shahbazian, Dan Levine, Dan Cohen and Josh Barry for 21 Laps Entertainment.^[2] The series was released on April 23, 2021.^[3]

Synopsis

In a world cleaved in two by a massive barrier of perpetual darkness, where unnatural creatures feast on human flesh, a young soldier uncovers a power that might finally unite her country. But as she struggles to hone her power, dangerous forces plot against her. Thugs, thieves, assassins and saints are at war now, and it will take more than magic to survive.^[2]

Cast

Starring

Jessie Mei Li as Alina Starkov^[4]^[5]
Ben Barnes as General Kirigan^[4]^[5]^[6]
Archie Renaux as Malyen Oretsev^[4]^[5]
Freddy Carter as Kaz Brekker^[4]^[5]
Amita Suman as Inej Ghafa^[4]^[5]
Kit Young as Jesper Fahey^[4]^[5]

Recurring Cast

Sujaya Dasgupta as Zoya Nazyalensky^[7]^[4]
Danielle Galligan as Nina Zenik^[7]^[4]
Daisy Head as Genya Safin^[7]^[4]
Simon Sears as Ivan^[7]^[4]^[8]
Calahan Skogman as Matthias Helvar^[9]
Zoë Wanamaker as Baghra^[9]
Kevin Eldon as The Apparat^[9]
Julian Kostov as Fedyor Kaminsky^[9]
Luke Pasqualino as David Kostyk^[9]
Jasmine Blackborow as Marie^[9]
Gabrielle Brooks as Nadia Zhabin^[9]
Antonín Mašek as Alexei
George Parker as Prince Vasily
Kaylan Teague as Young Alina
Julia Ubrankovics as Milana

Episodes

Season 1

Ep.	Title	Release Date
1	A Searing Burst of Light^[1]	April 23, 2021
2	We're All Someone's Monster^[1]	April 23, 2021
3	The Making at the Heart of the World^[1]	April 23, 2021
4	Otkazat'sya^[1]	April 23, 2021
5	Show Me Who You Are^[1]	April 23, 2021
6	The Heart Is An Arrow^[1]	April 23, 2021
7	The Unsea^[1]	April 23, 2021
8	No Mourners^[1]	April 23, 2021

Production News

Leigh Bardugo has a cameo in one of the episodes. She originally wanted to have a dramatic death scene but instead, she is seen hugging Alina after her display of power before the royal family. On her Instagram story she shared that she will be wearing a purple Materialki Kefta.
February 28, 2020: The show officially wrapped production on the first season.^[10]
October 2, 2019: Key cast members announced; cast and crew are filming in Budapest.^[11]
January 11, 2019: In her newsletter to fans, Leigh Bardugo offered additional details about how the series will be adapted for television:
- Netflix has the rights to the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the Six of Crows duology, and The Language of Thorns.^[12]
- The producers do not plan on "just smashing together the timelines". It is not set in stone, but Bardugo stated that she has "been thinking of Season 1 as getting Book One of Shadow and Bone and Book Zero of Six of Crows."^[12]
- The show will focus on bringing "more diversity into play early in the Shadow and Bone narrative, meaning that "some of the characters aren't going to look the way they were described on the page—and that’s the way it should be."^[12]