‘Shadow and Bone’ Season 3: Renewal & Release Date Speculation, News, Cast, and More

Following Shadow and Bone’s premiere of Season 2 in 2023, it stands to wonder if there will be a third season. Fans still want more of Alina, Kaz, and the gang even after Season 2.

Here’s what we know so far, including renewal status, possible plot points, and characters that could appear in Shadow and Bone Season 3. Spoilers ahead from Season 2.

Will There Be a Shadow and Bone Season 3?

Netflix has yet to announce whether or not they will renew Shadow and Bone for a third season. Since Season 2 aired in early 2023, the streaming service can still announce a renewal or cancellation anytime soon. The fate of the show will probably still remain uncertain as the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes still going on in Hollywood.

Shadow and Bone is based on the Grishaverse books by Leigh Bardugo and created for Netflix by Eric Heisserer. The first season premiered in 2021.

Overall, it might come down to the reception of Season 2, even if the series wasn’t renewed as fast as other shows. The strikes also play a big role in whether we’ll get to see more of the characters or not. But, people who are part of the production, like casting director Sophie Holland, said in May 2023 that they are hoping it gets renewed.

“…As for Shadow and Bone, we’re really hoping for a third season. It seems to have a huge fanbase. It’s a fresh, up-and-coming cast and the story is very faithful to the books, which is refreshing,” Holland told Deadline at the time.

She continued, “It’s all about that first month’s performance on Netflix, I guess, so we’ll find out soon if it’s being recommissioned. It’s a tricky time as you noted, so we’ll see.”

Heisserer also previously told Collider in 2021 that he always had a “three-season plan” for Shadow and Bone. Bardugo also has hopes for more seasons of the Grishaverse.

Who Might Be in Season 3

If Shadow and Bone Season 3 is confirmed, then we can expect Jessie Mei Li to return as the Sun Summoner Alina Starkov. The same goes for Freddy Carter as Kaz Brekker, Amita Suman as Inej Ghafa, Kit Young as Jesper Fahey, Archie Renaux as Mal Oretsev, Danielle Galligan as Nina Zenik, and Zoe Wanamaker as Baghra.

Jessie Mei Li told Collider that the cast is also hoping for the show to be renewed.

“There have definitely been discussions about where our characters might go, but with the nature of streamers, it’s down to how many people watch the show and what the response is like,” said the actress. “I just really hope people watch it and enjoy it because I would love to go again and finish that story and see what happens to Alina. They’ve left it in a really exciting place, and I think it would be such a shame to finish the story there.”

We might also see Patrick Gibson return as Nikolai Lantsov, along with Jack Wolfe as Wylan Hendriks, and Lewis Tan and Anna Leong Brophy as Tolya and Tamar.

As for those who might not return, Luke Pasqualino might not be returning for a possible Season 3. Pasqualino plays David, who is assumed to have died in Season 2. The actor told Digital Spy that he’s open to reprising his role, but admitted he’s not sure what the future holds for his character.

Another major character that we might not see return is Kirigan himself, played by Ben Barnes. After what happened to him in Season 2, it might be safe to say that the Darkling is dead. As Barnes seems to be the biggest name in the cast, it’s possible the show might bring him back.

What Happened in Season 2

In Shadow and Bone Season 2, fans saw General Kirigan return even after what happened to him in Season 1. Alina was forced to protect Ravka by trying to destroy the Fold and stop Kirigan’s reign of terror. In the end, the Darkling ultimately dies, as was the case in the original book trilogy.

Alina and Mal also get their happily ever after after the Sun Summoner is believed to be dead.  The show steers away from this by splitting them up first and bringing a new darkness into her world. This new darkness could bring the two of them back into action just as they’re starting their lives together.

Which Stories Could Be Part of Shadow and Bone Season 3

It remains to be seen what could Shadow and Bone cover from Bardugo’s books in a possible Season 3. Season 2 has already covered big portions of the second and third books from the Shadow and Bone trilogy. The second season even incorporated elements from other Grishaverse books like Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom.

But even if most of the source material was already brought to life, there are always more stories to tell. Based on what happened to Alina in Season 2, she would be free to start a life with Mal. Either way, season three could eventually mirror the books to give the show a definite ending.

Barnes told Cosmopolitan that Shadow and Bone is “poised very beautifully” for a story based on Six of Crows.

“I’m a huge fan of those next two books, which obviously don’t involve the Darkling. I’ve not been included beyond this moment, so who knows?” said Barnes.

Shadow and Bone Season 3 Potential Release Date

As Netflix has yet to announce a Shadow and Bone Season 3, there’s no release date yet. Should the streaming service announce the renewal before the end of 2023, we would estimate a 2025 release date.

However, in March 2023, Heisserer confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that he’s been developing a potential Six of Crows spinoff. The outlet’s sources said that the spinoff was in the very early stages. Heisserer also noted that whether or not Six of Crows will happen depends on Shadow and Bone Season 2 numbers.

Shadow and Bone Seasons 1 and 2 are available to watch on Netflix.