Rest in peace, Six of Crows. Not only did Netflix cancel Shadow and Bone after two seasons in November 2023, but the streamer also scrapped away the already-written Six of Crows spinoff series at the time.
Keep reading to see what went wrong.
What Happened to the ‘Six of Crows’ Spinoff Show?
Following news of the cancellations, Leigh Bardugo, the author of the books the Netflix show is based on, took to Instagram.
“Friends, by now you’ve probably heard that there will be no season 3 for Shadow and Bone and no Six of Crows spinoff,” she wrote. “The news hit me hard. 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.”
It’s unclear exactly why Netflix decided to pull the plug on the fantasy series, but many have suspected it has to do with streamers cutting back on content following the months-long writers’ and actors’ strikes, which ground TV and film production to a halt in Hollywood.
What Was the ‘Six of Crows’ Spinoff Show About?
Six of Crows was meant to follow the main events of the book it was based on
In March 2023, Shadow and Bone showrunner Eric Heisserer told Entertainment Weekly that the scripts had already been written for a Six of Crows spinoff series. Apparently, the plan was to run both that show and season 3 of Shadow and Bone simultaneously.
“One of the reasons, not all of them, that I got the privilege of working with Daegan Fryklind as co-showrunner in season 2 is that I was busy with the writers’ room for Six of Crows. We are ready to launch that as its own story,” Heisserer explained. “The eight-episode scripts are phenomenal and I’m really proud of my team for those.”
The Six of Crows spin-off “would be its own little season of fun that our characters would get to be a part of,” Heisserer says.
In March 2024, a writer from the spinoff, Christina Strain, took to X to share some of the plot details from the scrapped show. See the series of posts, where she explains a “Wylan-centric” episode she wrote, here.
Could ‘Shadow and Bone’ and ‘Six Of Crows’ Be Saved?
Since news of the cancellation, fans of the show and books alike, have started multiple campaigns to save the show. Fans have taken to platforms including X and TikTok, to express their outrage at the show’s cancellation and, under the #SaveShadowanBone hashtag, keep the series in the public eye.
While fans of other cancelled-too-soon Netflix shows have done similar campaigns, such as Anne With an E and The Society, Netflix has never revived a show once it’s been cancelled, that we know of.
Love J-14? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for fun, exclusive videos with your favorite stars.
