It’s very easy to get caught up in the panic regarding Netflix’s never-ending cancellation of fantasy shows, especially when over two dozen such titles have been axed in under three and a half years, but just because an episodic original takes place in an otherworldly setting and features plenty of visual effects, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s guaranteed for the chopping block.
However, the ongoing silence surrounding Shadow and Bone has been creating increasing amounts of concern among a fandom who’ve even gone so far as to try and artificially inflate the viewing figures in order to guarantee at least one more season. It’s an ambitious attempt at salvation, but a combination of the company’s upfronts presentation and ironclad data hints that it may not be enough.
There was genuine hope that either season 3 of Shadow and Bone or a Six of Crows spin-off would be announced yesterday, but there wasn’t even so much as a whisper regarding any live-action show that comes carrying a high concept and a hefty budget. If we look at the timeline of what happened last time around, then it’s starting to look as though the GrishaVerse is on borrowed time.
The opening run premiered on April 21 of 2021, with the news of a sophomore season breaking on June 7, a gap of 46 days between debut and renewal. On the other hand, season 2 arrived on March 16, meaning we’re now 64 days on from the follow-up’s premiere with nothing to show for it.
While it’s only a couple of weeks on either side, let’s not forget Netflix took over three months to pull the plug on Lockwood & Co. in an official capacity, but one positive is that there are truly no guarantees as of yet Shadow and Bone has truly breathed its last.