Will there be a Shadow and Bone season 3?

Starring Jessie Mei Li as Alina Starkov, the series followed her journey as she discovered she was a Grisha with special gifts.

After a major cliffhanger at the end of season 2, a long wait for a season 3, and following talk of a spin-off series, fans have received some gutting news.

Here's everything you need to know.

Will there be a Shadow and Bone season 3?

No - Shadow and Bone has been cancelled by Netflix after two seasons.

On Instagram, author Bardugo said: "The news hit me hard. I'm heartbroken and deeply disappointed, but I’m also trying to hold on to my very real gratitude.

"Most authors never get to see their work adapted. Many who do end up regretting the experience. I’m one of the very few who can look at an adaptation with pride and tremendous joy."

She added: "I am so grateful to our writers, our crew and our extraordinary cast who are not just wildly talented, but genuinely good people.

"Most of all I want to say how grateful I am to the folks reading this — whether you found your way to the books first or discovered them through the show."

Many of the cast have also spoken out on the heartbreaking decision, with Jessie Mei Li saying: "Shadow and Bone has come to an end. My first big job and I will never forget it. Walking away now towards exciting new horizons with some friends for life! Thanks for watching, Grishaverse."

Archie Renaux, who played Mal, said that he "loved working on the show and loved working with everyone involved". He also said that he was "sorry to all our writers that won’t be able to share the next chapter in the story".

Ben Barnes, who played General Kirigan, AKA The Dark One, said: "I was so excited to watch the brilliant, beautiful humans I love so much who made Shadow and Bone take this world, their characters and this story onwards. This part of the journey is sorrowful and I am so proud to have been a part of it."

Showrunner Heisserer previously spoke about his hopes for three seasons of the show, telling Collider in 2021: "It was a three-year plan that I laid out, or three-season plan."

Could Shadow and Bone be saved?

Fans have been calling for Shadow and Bone to be saved, as well as the potential spin-off series - however, there's no word yet.

It's certainly not beyond the realms of possibility as, on occasion, shows cancelled by one network or streamer have been picked up and continued elsewhere.

However, we're still waiting for any potential news on this.

What was going to be the plot for Shadow and Bone season 3?

Shadow and Bone season 2 closely follows the plot of Bardugo's second novel in the Shadow and Bone trilogy, Siege and Storm, and incorporates elements of the third, Ruin and Rising. It also features plotlines from Bardugo's Six of Crows duology.

It follows that a third season would have continued to adapt the books, focusing more on Ruin and Rising and Crooked Kingdom, the Crows' last entry to the Grishaverse.

Bardugo is yet to write a third book in the Six of Crows series, but she hinted it could be a future project. She told Collider: "A third Six of Crows is a big 'someday'. I have an idea for the plot of it, and I’ve had it for a long time.

"But for me, the Grishaverse has gotten a little crowded at this point and a little noisy. And there are other projects that I want to work on. And for me, I don’t want to write that book with those characters until I really want to do it.”

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.

Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.

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