Dropped on Netflix on March 16, 2023, Shadow and Bone season 3 has quenched the desire of its fans but has also left them wanting more. Hailing from a titular book series, Shadow and Bone is a part of the Grishaverse by Leigh Bardugo.
Ever since its premiere on April 23, 2023, the show has observed an exponential graph, ranking as the 8th most-watched English TV show of all time. If you have already streamed all the episodes of Shadow and Bone season 2, then you must be eagerly waiting for some news to drop concerning the third season.
If that’s the case, then let me tell you that we are sailing in the same boat, mate. However, one of the most burning questions brewing inside our midns is will there be Shadow and Bone season 3?
If you’re also trying to solve this puzzle, then you’ve come to the right place because we have gathered all the latest crumbs of information regarding possible installment of Grishaverse.
Has Netflix renewed Shadow and Bone for a third season?
Unfortunately, at the time of writing this article, Netflix has not renewed Shadow and Bone for a third season. When it comes to the renewal of any show, the streaming giant takes into consideration several factors that determine the renewal or cancellation of the show, including viewership figures, cost of production, and more.
Since the second season premiered quite recently, it’s difficult to presume whether Netflix will renew the show or not. But if we take a look at the data released by the official sites, we can make an educated guess. As per Netflix’s hourly data release for its top 40 shows and movies, the second season of Shadow and Bone garnered 105.43M hours between March 12th and March 26th.
Unfortunately, this is not enough for Shadow and Bone season 2, and to make matters worse, these figures are not growing exponentially. With such a standstill, we speculate that Netflix might not renew the show for a third season after all.
As per the data gauged by TelevisionStats.com, which uses multiple metrics including Wikipedia, IMDb, Twitter, Reddit, and Torrents, Shadow and Bone is doing better than other shows, surpassed only by The Last of Us since the second season released on Netflix. As per the reports, Shadow and Bone is now the 10th biggest show in the world.
In late May 2023, the casting director of the series, Sophie Holland, expressed her inclination towards the renewal of the third season via Deadline. Holland said:
“…as for Shadow And Bone, we’re really hoping for a third season. It seems to have a huge fan base. It’s a fresh, up-and-coming cast and the story is very faithful to the books, which is refreshing. It’s all about that first month’s performance on Netflix, I guess, so we’ll find out soon if it’s being recommissioned. It’s a tricky time, as you noted, so we’ll see.”
Additionally, showrunner Eric Heisserer had previously revealed to Collider that he always had a “three-season plan” for the show in his mind. Having bigger hopes for the Grishaverse, author Leigh Bardugo told Inverse that she’d “love to see us get another five seasons.”
In a recent interview with Collider, Jessie Mei expressed the cast’s enthusiasm for another season of Shadow and Bone, saying that there “are definitely plans in the works.”
What is the overall performance of Shadow and Bone Season 2?
Based upon the recent data extracted from the weekly ranking in the Netflix global top 10s, the show was able to garner 132.43M hours between March 12 and April 2. However, the show did not observe any exponential growth in the second week, which might point toward a cancellation. According to FlixPatrol, the show sustained the fourth position around the globe as of April 4, 2023, and has maintained its popularity in countries like Australia, the Nordics, and Central to East Europe.
What can we expect to happen in Shadow and Bone season 3?
Although a majority chunk of content from the main book trilogy has been adapted in season 2, there are a lot of stories left to be visually recounted, which rekindles our hopes for Shadow and Bone season 3 to materialize into reality. Towards the end, season 2 covers the events of Seige and Storm and Ruin and Rising. The season 2 finale covers Darkling’s death as well. Interestingly, it deviates from the book content by showcasing the pair splitting up and reflecting a new darkness into Alina’s world.
With that, the show’s creators seem to hint that if Shadow and Bone is renewed for a third season, it will cover a hybrid of original material along with some of the King of Scars duology novels. Additionally, the third season will detail the life of Alina and her identity as a Shadow Summoner if she becomes so in the future. The third season will possibly cover the life of Nikolai, especially after how Shadow and Bone season 2 ended.
For those unversed, here’s the official synopsis of Shadow and Bone season 2 (based on the second book):
“The Darkling has emerged from the Shadow Fold with a terrifying new power and a dangerous plan that will test the very boundaries of the natural world. With the help of a notorious privateer, Alina returns to the country she abandoned, determined to fight the forces gathering against Ravka. But as her power grows, Alina slips deeper into the Darkling’s game of forbidden magic and farther away from Mal. Somehow, she will have to choose between her country, her power, and the love she always thought would guide her—or risk losing everything to the oncoming storm.”
Who are the expected cast members of Shadow and Bone season 3?
Owing to the paucity of information regarding the renewal or cancellation of the show, we do not have a confirmed list of cast members who will possibly feature in Shadow and Bone season 3. However, below-mentioned are the expected cast members who can be featured in the potential third season:
- Jessie Mei Li as Alina Starkov
- Archie Renaux as Malyen Oretsev
- Freddy Carter as Kaz Brekker
- Amita Suman as Inej
- Kit Young as Jesper Fahey
- Ben Barnes as General Kerrigan
- Calahan Skogman as Matthias Helvar
- Danielle Galligan as Nina Zenik
- Daisy Head as Genya Safin
- Patrick Gibson as Nikolai Lantsov
- Anna Leong Brophy as Tamar Kir-Bataar
- Lewis Tan as Tolya Yul-Bataar
- Jack Wolfe as Wylan Hendriks
- Janet Kumah as Keme
- Joanna Gibbon as Nadya
- Rachel Redford as Fruszi
Is there any spin-off based on Shadow and Bone?
After season 2 premiered, plans were set in place for creating a Shadow and Bone spin-off based on the fourth book of Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse, Six of Crows, underscoring the lives of Kaz, Jesper, Inej, Wylan, Nina, and Matthias. For those unversed, the book emphasizes the “six of crows” who utilize their talents to Fjerda to undertake a major heist at the Ice Court, which is one of the most protected places in the country.
At the time of writing this article, the streaming giant has not ordered a spin-off. However, the story developer, Eric Heisserer, announced that the series would feature eight episodes. A Shadow and Bone spin-off could only materialize into reality when it’s doing exponential numbers on Netflix. At the moment, we don’t think that’s the situation.
For more updates on Shadow and Bone season 3, stay tuned to Web News Observer!
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Shadow and Bone season 3 canceled?
Netflix has not renewed Shadow and Bone for a third season, but it has also not canceled it at the moment. Be that as it may, a lot of viewers take the delayed announcement of the renewal tantamount to cancellation.
- Does Alina become evil?
If we see the entire arc of the series, Alina has a Black Swan transformation in her life when she becomes an enemy by using dark magic to resurrect Mal instead of her light powers.
- Who is the strongest Grisha?
General Kirigan can be considered the strongest Grisha, owing to his ability to use the Cut, a move through which he can conjure darkness as a dagger to cut people. Also known as the Darkling, Kirigan is a Shadow Summoner who can play with the darkness and shadows.