Is the future of the show in jeopardy? Here is everything we know so far about Netflix’s Shadow and Bone Season 3.
There is no doubt in our minds that the passion for Shadow and Bone is ever-growing in the hearts of millions of fans around the world who have alluded to their praise and outpouring of love for the show with the last two successful seasons, which is truly commendable and clearly depicts the impact that this fantasy streaming television series developed by Eric Heisserer has had on Netflix.
For context, on Rotten Tomatoes, the second season has an 83% approval rating based on 24 reviews, with an average rating of 6.0/10. The website’s critics’ consensus states, “Shadow and Bone‘s sophomore season packs in too much story sinew to properly breathe, but this adventure remains great fun for fantasy fans.” On Metacritic, the second season received a score of 73 based on reviews from 8 critics, indicating “generally favorable reviews”.
Even though this is great engagement by the fans and critics, there is a different side to their worries, as for weeks now the fandom has been left wondering about the future of the series, which stands neither here nor there when compared to other renewals which have been recently announced by Netflix despite the series being available for a few days.
On the other hand, it’s been way too long since the second season of Shadow and Bone premiered its final episode, “No Funerals,” back on March 16, 2023, and no renewal announcement has been confirmed for it yet. The stipulated time period for it to be greenlit after the premiere of the final episode is usually a month or two after the premiere, if not sooner.
So, when we consider the second season’s release date, it’s been way over two months for such an announcement to be approved by streaming platforms, which has put the fans on high alert!
They have valid reasons to be concerned since they have begun to fear that this beloved series might be heading for cancellation, as Netflix has been notoriously known to suddenly scrap some of the best series without warning. That’s not all; with the summer streaming season of 2023 officially on the way, the streaming platform has begun to unveil the list of new shows that will be making their debut in the coming weeks.
Sadly, when we checked the list, Shadow and Bone Season 3 was not listed, which is a bit worrisome. The fans have started to feel a bit saddened by the delay of the announcement, and in order to raise their renewal requests, they have even started campaigning and trending #RenewShadowAndBone to capture Netflix’s attention so it can be approved in the month of May 2023.
The campaign has been ongoing for some time now, generating thousands of tweets every day. More viewers who have recently started watching the show have also joined the effort to urge the streaming service to keep the show because it still has many unanswered questions and the potential to be turned into a trilogy if not a massive five- to six-season run.
Many die-hard fans are also hoping for the renewal to be announced by the end of May so that the production can begin on a timely schedule for it to be released sometime in 2024, or even in 2025, as the second season was also released two years after the first season. For your consideration, we think that the delay in approving the renewal might have something to do with the ongoing writer’s strike.
Many large production companies have temporarily ceased operations due to the strike, and as a result, many famous television shows have also halted production until an adequate solution is offered to allow the writers to resume their work. One of the top Netflix original television series, Stranger Things, also paused production, causing significant changes and delays in the filming.
Other factors that may have played a significant role in delaying the approval of Shadow and Bone Season 3 include the acquisition of rights that are divided between Netflix and 21 Laps Entertainment. No one is aware of what is going on in the background between these networks in order to decide when to release this adored series.
We also think that the budgets for creating this show must be skyrocketing, as it is known to rely heavily on VFX, which might be very costly for the network, and they might be heading for reducing some of the resources, which can take some more time to get approved before greenlighting the third season.
We would like to emphasize that these are just rumors circulating among the fandom, so we can’t verify them for sure, but it does seem like a potential reason for Netflix to not rush into making any sudden announcements without planning out the schedule for the series. Hence, it seems highly likely that the renewal for Shadow and Bone Season 3 might not be announced until May 2023, but sometime later.
In the meantime, the only thing the fans can do right now is participating in the campaigns, which will help in alerting the creators and the streaming platform that the demand for the show hasn’t died down and the fandom wants to explore more of this universe, as it truly deserves to reach a satisfactory conclusion before they hop into developing the Six of Crows spin-off, which is reported to take place during the events of the season two finale of Shadow and Bone.
In conclusion, the overwhelming success and universal praise the show has garnered make the third season an excellent investment for Netflix, and fans around the world are eagerly waiting for confirmation. Hence, the show’s excellence and promising storylines, combined with a passionate fanbase, make a renewal very much a possibility in the near future. We’ll just have to wait and see what direction the crew will take, as they are still subject to change anytime soon or later.
Shadow and Bone Season 3 Frequently Asked Questions
How soon can the renewal be revealed?
We predicted that it would be announced from June to August 2023 if it was not approved in the next few days. The viewers may turn on notifications to get updates on when Shadow and Bone Season 3 will make its debut on the streaming platform.
If renewed, what can the fans expect?
Not much has been revealed about the plot but co-showrunner Eric Heisserer told Entertainment Weekly: “Thankfully we’re creating brand-new material for actors that we know and love and trust who will carry the water for us on this.” Further adding, “And it’s weaving their story in with the King of Scars duology that we’re already in love with, and what we think is going to come alive on screen from those. So it’s a matter of stitching those in the way we’ve stitched in other characters in these first two seasons.”
Which cast members might return?
The main cast members who are expected to reprise their roles are as follows Jessie Mei Li as Alina Starkov, Archie Renaux as Malyen “Mal” Oretsev, Freddy Carter as Kaz Brekker, Amita Suman as Inej Ghafa, Kit Young as Jesper Fahey, Ben Barnes as General Aleksander Kirigan / The Darkling, Zoë Wanamaker as Baghra, Lewis Tan as Tolya Yul-Bataar, Patrick Gibson as Nikolai Lantsov, Anna Leong Brophy as Tamar Kir-Bataar, Jack Wolfe as Wylan Hendriks, Daisy Head as Genya Safin, Danielle Galligan as Nina Zenik, Calahan Skogman as Matthias.
Where to stream the show?
All the episodes of Shadow and Bone Seasons 1 and 2 are available exclusively on Netflix, with other series of the same genre also accessible with a range of membership options. The video quality and the number of screens you can use to stream Netflix simultaneously depend on the package you choose. The basic membership starts at $9.99 per month, and the standard membership starts at $15.49 per month, with no additional cost for any of their services.
☀️SHADOW AND BONE SEASON 2 IS NOW STREAMING☀️ pic.twitter.com/CbYByAFiVe
— Shadow And Bone (@shadowandbone_) March 16, 2023
While you wait for more details about the renewal of Shadow and Bone Season 3, catch up on the latest season on Netflix.