Updated on 8 June 2021: Last year, Pembroke College delivered a timely lecture on the importance of fantasy in times of crisis, and how slipping into a magical other-world can provide inspiration during moments of despair and personal difficulty.

It makes sense, then, that Netflix has just confirmed that itsTV adaptation of Leigh Bardugo’s worldwide bestselling Grishaverse novels, Shadow And Bone, will 100% be getting a second season.

“And that’s a wrap on the #ShadowAndBone season 2 writers room!” tweeted screenwriter Christina Strain, much to the delight of fans everywhere.

As per Deadline’s report, the renewal follows “strong viewership numbers for the first season, which was watched by more than 55 million member households in its first 28 days. 

“The series made the Top 10 list in 93 countries around the world and hit No. 1 in 79 countries including Australia, Brazil, Germany, Russia, Spain, South Africa, and the USA.”

And fans of the first season will be pleased to know that Jessie Mei Li (Alina Starkov), Archie Renaux (Malyen Oretsev), Freddy Carter (Kaz Brekker), Amita Suman (Inej), Kit Young (Jesper Fahey), Ben Barnes (General Kirigan), Danielle Galligan (Nina Zenik) and Calahan Skogman (Matthias Helvar) are all set to reprise their roles in the show’s second outing. 

Additional casting details will be revealed at a later date.

Responding to the news, author Bardugo – who also serves as an executive producer on the series – has said: “I’ve been writing in the Grishaverse for nearly 10 years now, so I’m thrilled we get to keep this adventure going. 

“There are so many places we’ve barely gotten to visit and I can’t wait to introduce our audience to more of the saints, soldiers, thugs, thieves, princes, and privateers who make this world so much fun to explore. It’s going to be real magic to see our brilliant, talented cast expand.”

You can watch the renewal announcement below:

Of course, if you didn’t tune in the first time around (and, if this is you, what happened?), you’ll probably want to know a little more about what you can expect from the series.

Thankfully, we’re here to help.

As reported on 29 January: “Shadow And Bone takes place in a very different kind of fantasy world,” Bardugo explains to Entertainment Weekly.

“Think Imperial Russia, not Medieval England; repeating rifles instead of broadswords. It’s a story about the people who have been told how much they don’t matter proving how much they do. And it’s been incredible to see that story take shape on such an epic scale, the battles, the magic, but also the relationships between the characters.”

What’s the plot of Netflix’s Shadow And Bone?

Set in a war-torn world, Shadow And Bone is all about a lowly soldier and orphan named Alina Starkov.

For many years, she’s dismissed as a quiet, sickly, and frail thing, of little importance to anyone. And so she’s as shocked as anyone when she suddenly unleashes an extraordinary power that could prove the key to setting her country free. 

“With the monstrous threat of the Shadow Fold looming, Alina is torn from everything she knows to train as part of an elite army of magical soldiers known as Grisha,” promises the official synopsis.

“But as she struggles to hone her power, she finds that allies and enemies can be one and the same and that nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. 

“There are dangerous forces at play, including a crew of charismatic criminals, and it will take more than magic to survive.”

Who stars in the cast of Netflix’s Shadow And Bone?

In her newsletter to fans regarding the newly announced Netflix adaptation, Bardugo wrote: “We talked about how to bring more diversity into play early in the Shadow And Bone narrative. This is something the show can do better than I did.

“That means 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.”

As such, the talented Jessie Mei Li leads the cast of this epic series as Alina Starkov. Archie Renaux, meanwhile, plays Malyen Oretsev, Alina’s childhood best friend, a former soldier of the First Army and a gifted tracker.

Freddy Carter appears as Kaz “Dirtyhands” Brekker, the current leader of the Dregs (one of several prominent gangs in the city of Ketterdam). Amita Suman is Inej Ghafa, a former acrobat turned spy. Kit Young is Jesper Fahey, an impulsive gambler and sharpshooter.

And Ben Barnes? Well, he’s set to portray General Kirigan, the mysterious Grisha leader of the Second Army. Which means that, yes, you should absolutely keep an eye on him… 

“We really lucked into somebody extraordinary to play this role because General Kirigan – he’s not immortal, but he is so powerful that he borders on immortal,” Bardugo tells EW.

“Ben has this wonderful ageless quality that works beautifully.”

Is there a trailer for Netflix’s Shadow And Bone?

You can watch the trailer for Shadow And Bone below:

When is Shadow And Bone coming to Netflix?

As reported on 29 January 2021: The eight-episode debut season of Shadow And Bone is due to premiere on Netflix on 23 April.

Anyone else counting down the days already?

Images: Netflix