Shadow and Bone author Leigh Bardugo has been left "heartbroken" by the show's cancellation on Netflix.
Bardugo took to Instagram to share her disappointment at Netflix scrapping the show after two seasons alongside its planned spin-off Six of Crows.
"The news hit me hard," Bardugo wrote. "I'm heartbroken and deeply disappointed, but I'm also trying to hold onto 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 lucky few who can look at an adaptation with pride and tremendous joy. 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."
The cancellation came November 15 alongside word that four other shows wouldn't move forward at the streaming service. Netflix confirmed Glamorous, Agent Elvis, Farzar, and Captain Fall were all scrapped due in part to viewership versus production costs but also due to scheduling conflicts caused by the actors strike.
Shadow and Bone was originally positioned as a potential next big fantasy series for Netflix, with Season 1 debuting in April 2021 and Season 2 in March 2023. The former earned an 8/10 in IGN's review, while we thought the quality dipped a little with Season 2 earning a 7/10.
The series focuses on a young woman called Alina Starkov as she learns to control a newly discovered power in order to save her country from the Shadow Fold, a creature-filled darkness that threatens the entire land. It's based on Bardugo's young adult fantasy series, particularly the Shadow and Bone trilogy, but the overall Grishaverse also includes spin-off books, short stories, and more.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
