Could the ‘Warrior Nun’ renewal spell hope for ‘Shadow and Bone?’

Netflix has gone and done it again. This time it was Shadow and Bone fans it managed to alienate.

Of all the global streamers and distributors, Netflix has arguably the worst record for giving up on well-loved series and dropping the axe on them so out of the blue it leaves fans reeling and wondering why. While it can cancel some lesser-known series relatively quietly, the company should’ve known it couldn’t do the same for the Grishaverse-set series.

A week after the SAG-AFTRA strikes ended, the streamer decided to drop five of its titles, Shadow and Bone included on the list. While it has also renewed a much larger number of series, Shadow and Bone fell through the cracks and was an unfortunate loser in the aftermath of the months-long strikes. Surprisingly so, might we add, because, as fans have pointed out online, the series had once been at the top of the most viewed Netflix shows on, not one, but multiple regions.

However, a fandom’s loyalty and dedication once saved a beloved series from never seeing a resolution: Warrior Nun, which, in a similar manner, was also given up on by the streamer after two seasons. Earlier in 2023, producer Dean English announced on social media that the story would see a continuation in the form of a movie trilogy, in which Netflix has no part.

Could Shadow and Bone hope to have a similar fate?

Is there still hope for the Grishaverse TV adaptation?

Well, as the saying goes, hope dies last. But with the loud, disappointed cry of fans of Leigh Bardugo’s original story echoing all over the internet, there is some reasonable chance that either Netflix executives come to the logical conclusion that the Grishaverse is not worth abandoning altogether — some book loyalists were understandably disappointed by season 2, but even then most of us would die for a Six of Crows spin-off series — or, that some entrepreneurial mind hailing from some other large-enough producer, hears the netizens’ cries and decides to breathe life once more into the adaptation, similar to what happened with Warrior Nun.

Also akin to what happened to Warrior Nun, which got a petition running pretty much as soon as news of the cancelation came out, Grishaverse fans also started a Change.org petition on Nov. 15, which acquired 20 thousand signatures by Friday, Nov. 17. The post above shows that some fans have even resorted to flooding Netflix execs’ inboxes with emails, but I find the possibility of them actually listening and going back on their decision less likely. For desperate fans, it’s still worth a shot, though.

However, although there’s hope, one shouldn’t expect any immediate reactions or answers to one’s pleas. It took Warrior Nun about eight months from the time of its cancelation to its announced renewal. Things were obviously happening behind the scenes before then, but the timing of the announcement gives us a reference point. At least, it demonstrates that a fanbase’s combined efforts may yield results, even if these are not necessarily quick to materialize. Who knows, we may be proven wrong and see a renewal tomorrow, but one should keep one’s expectations’ tame to avoid further disappointment.

It’s clear that news of the cancellation was not just a hard blow for fans, it also hit cast members hard, probably even harder, as this is not just about the love of a piece of media for them; for most, it is an integral part of their professional journeys. They actively contributed to bringing the series to life while we only had to passively enjoy it. One of the most extensive and heartfelt responses came from Calahan Skogman, who played a man of few words, Matthias Helvar. However, even though the actor expressed sorrow, he also believes in the power of hope: “Miracles happen, they’ve certainly happened in my life before.”

Miracles do happen and Warrior Nun has proven it. They can take place thanks to the fans’ active dedication — some are even trying to crowdfund for a billboard in LA. Here’s hoping the Grishaverse fandom can pull a miracle of their own.