Shadow and Bone season 2: Release date, trailer and latest news
Another instalment of Leigh Bardugo’s Grisha trilogy is coming to Netflix.
If you’ve already binged Shadow and Bone season 2 and are wondering what comes next for Alina and the Crows, you’re in luck.
The popular Netflix fantasy series is based on the Grishaverse, a series of popular YA novels penned by Leigh Bardugo.
Shadow and Bone’s first two seasons adapt the first three Grishaverse books, which revolve around Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li), as she realises she has the rare power of sun-summoning.
Shadow and Bone season 2 is finally upon us, and the stakes are higher than ever before. The second season of Netflix’s fantasy series continues to adapt Bardugo's novels, this time delving into the events of Siege and Storm and the heist storyline in Six of Crows.
We pick up shortly after the events of season 1, with the Sun Summoner herself as she continues on her mission to destroy the Shadow Fold.
Alongside Mei Li, the main Shadow and Bone cast all return for the second instalment, including Ben Barnes, Archie Renaux and Daisy Head amongst others, while new additions include Jack Wolfe, Patrick Gibson, Anna Leong Brophy and Lewis Tan.
The season finale of Shadow and Bone season 1 left many questions up in the air.
"The most wonderful thing about season 2 is that we get to advance the story of these characters that we'd left in precarious positions at the end of season 1," showrunner Eric Heisserer previously said in a statement.
He added: "There's a lot of potential for them this season. They have to face the consequences for their actions, and then they get to meet new people along the way. The Grishaverse also expands in this season, both in mythology and in characters.
"In doing so, we expand the world, we go to new locations, we visit Novyi Zem and Shu Han, and those are all integral to the narrative."
So, without further ado, read on for everything you need to know about Shadow and Bone season 2.
Shadow and Bone season 2 Netflix release date
New episodes of Shadow and Bone premiered on the streamer on Thursday 16th March – and there may well be more instalments to look forward to in the future.
In April 2021, showrunner Eric Heisserer told TVLine: "I want [the series] to run as long as it’s welcome and give life to these characters for as long as we don’t overstay that welcome.
"There’s so much material that Leigh has written, and there are so many compelling characters, I think this flagship show could last for four seasons.
"And then we could figure out if there’s a new space to live in with any of these people, or any part of the world that we want to spend more time with.”
Shadow and Bone season 2 plot
The official synopsis for Shadow and Bone season 2 reads: "Alina Starkov is on the run. A beacon of hope to some and a suspected traitor to others, she's determined to bring down the Shadow Fold and save Ravka from ruin. But General Kirigan has returned to finish what he started.
"Backed by a terrifying new army of seemingly indestructible shadow monsters and fearsome new Grisha recruits, Kirigan is more dangerous than ever. To stand a fighting chance against him, Alina and Mal rally their own powerful new allies and begin a continent-spanning journey to find two mythical creatures that will amplify her powers.
"Back in Ketterdam, the Crows must forge new alliances as they contend with old rivals and even older grudges that threaten not only their place in the Barrel, but their very lives. When a chance at a deadly heist comes their way, the Crows will once again find themselves on a collision course with the legendary Sun Summoner.
"Based on Leigh Bardugo's worldwide best-selling Grishaverse novels, Shadow and Bone returns for a second season of new friendships, new romance, bigger battles, epic adventures — and a shocking family secret that could shatter everything."
Leigh Bardugo previously teased that season 2 could pull not just from the second Grisha trilogy novel Siege and Storm, but also from other books in her series, just as season 1 pulled from her Six of Crows duology despite those books originally being set in a different time period.
"I wouldn’t be surprised if we ended up pulling some things from different books," Bardugo told RadioTimes.com. "This is something that [showrunner Eric Heisserer] has done very well."
Specifically Bardugo noted that alongside Six of Crows, fans might expect material from novellas The Demon in the Wood and The Language of Thorns, as well as her most recent duology.
"Eric’s super-familiar with the entire canon, and so it’s made it possible to drop in things like The Demon in the Wood and The Language of Thorns and maybe even King of Scars, because there shouldn’t really be a limit within that universe," she said.
Who stars in Shadow and Bone season 2?
The main gang are all returning, including Jessie Mei Li, Ben Barnes, Archie Renaux and Daisy Head.
While the Crows (Kaz, Jesper and Inej, played by Freddy Carter, Kit Young and Amita Suman) don’t appear in Bardugo’s second Grisha novel, they also didn’t appear in the first.
Bardugo told RadioTimes.com of the characters: "These worlds actually do crash into each other [later on] in the books, so it’s actually an organic thing to have these storylines cross over.
"I think that’s the way that we’re going to approach it. The way I look at it is, it’s a kind of alternative timeline Grishaverse. This isn’t the way it played out in the books, but there’s a way to retain the heart of the story, the soul of the characters, and still give readers this very different approach to the world."
In order to adapt the material, some fan-favourite and major roles have been cast. Ravkan Prince Nikolai Lantsov, who becomes a main character (and the lead of follow-up books King of Scars/Rule of Wolves), will be played by Patrick Gibson. Shu warriors Tolya and Tamar, who appear in several Grishaverse books themselves, will now be played by Lewis Tan and Anna Leong Brophy.
And yes, the Crows' demolition expert – and Jesper's love interest – Wylan has also been cast, with Jack Wolfe taking on the role.
Here's a full list of the main actors for Shadow and Bone season 2:
- Jessie Mei Li as Alina Starkov
- Archie Renaux as Malyen Oretsev
- Freddy Carter as Kaz Brekker
- Amita Suman as Inej Ghafa
- Kit Young as Jesper Fahey
- Danielle Galligan as Nina Zenik
- Daisy Head as Genya Safin
- Calahan Skogman as Matthias Helvar
- Lewis Tan as Tolya Yul-Bataar
- Anna Leong Brophy as Tamar Kir-Bataar
- Jack Wolfe as Wylan Hendriks
- Patrick Gibson as Nikolai Lantsov
- Ben Barnes as General Kirigan
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Shadow and Bone season 2 trailer
You can watch the full trailer for Shadow and Bone season 2 right here, now.
Shadow and Bone season 2 is available on Netflix now. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
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