Shadow and Bone is officially cancelled. The live-action adaptation of Leigh Bardugo's novel is one of five shows that has been cancelled by Netflix. The news is especially shocking for fans who have been actively campaigning for its renewal since early this year.
According to Deadline, Netflix has decided to cancel five shows, including the popular Shadow and Bone, following an evaluation of their content strategy after the conclusion of the Screen Actors Guild strike. The recent strike, which lasted 118 days, prompted Netflix to reevaluate its slate of shows, leading to the cancellation of both live-action and animated series.
The live-action shows Glamorous and Shadow and Bone are among the casualties, along with three animated series—Agent Elvis, Farzar, and Captain Fall. Of these, only Shadow and Bone managed to extend beyond a single season, with its second season premiering in March 2023.
What led to Netflix's cancellations of the 5 shows?
Several factors contributed to the cancellations, including viewership not meeting the threshold to justify production costs. Additionally, the Hollywood strikes, particularly the actors strike that overlapped significantly with an earlier 148-day writers strike, caused production delays. Netflix foresaw substantial gaps between seasons, making it challenging to sustain viewership for the four single-season series. Despite a reportedly planned Shadow and Bone spinoff focusing on the Crows and the relentless fan campaign for the original show's renewal, the decision was not swayed.
The cancellations have raised questions about the possibility of wrapping up ongoing storylines with one-time specials, though it seems unlikely given the breadth of cancellations. However, key creatives from the shows might continue collaborations with Netflix for future projects. For example, Shadow and Bone creator Eric Heisserer's past work on Netflix's successful horror adaptation Bird Box might foster goodwill for potential future projects.
While some canceled Netflix shows have found new homes, it remains to be seen if any of the recently cancelled series will follow suit. The cancellation of Shadow and Bone, particularly, has prompted a fan-led renewal campaign on social media, adding an element of uncertainty to the fate of these titles. The decisions reflect Netflix's evolving content strategy in response to changing industry dynamics and the aftermath of the strikes that affected Hollywood production.
All episodes from the first two seasons of Shadow and Bone are still streaming on Netflix.
