Netflix releases photos and info about its Shadow and Bone show!

Netflix has released a mess of new images from its adaptation of Leigh Bardugo’s Shadow and Bone, a fantasy series set in a world based on imperial Russia. “It’s a story about the people who have been told how much they don’t matter proving how much they do,” Bardugo said in a press release. “And it’s been incredible to see that story take shape on such an epic scale, the battles, the magic, but also the relationships between the characters. These photos give just a tiny hint at what’s in store—a mapmaker with an extraordinary gift, the people who want to use her, the tracker who will do anything to protect her, and the team of thugs and thieves who are about to cause some very big trouble for everyone involved.”

Sounds promising. Let’s take a look:

First up we have Jessie Mei Li as Alina Starkov, the main character of the series. An orphan, Alina discovers early on that she has a Grisha talent, meaning she can manipulate the elements to use them as weapons.

The leader of the Grisha is General Kirigan, better known to fans as the Darkling (Ben Barnes). You can probably guess from the name that he doesn’t end up being a very nice person.

Every YA fantasy story has to have a love interest, and for Shadow and Bone, it’s Malyen “Mal” Oretsev:

Alina and Mal grew up as orphans together, so they share a bond when the story begins.

And it only grows, as I’m sure you could guess.

Jesper Fahey is a charming sharpshooter who’s actually from the Six of Crows series that Bardugo wrote, which is set in the same universe as Shadow and Bone but in a different place and time. Clearly, the Netflix show will bring them together.

Inej Ghafa (Amita Suman) is another character from Six of Crows:

Known as “the Wraithe,” Inej is known for sneaking around unseen and gathering intel.

And finally there’s Kaz Brekker (Freddy Carter), the leader of the Crows:

The Six of Crows gang, all together:

That’s the end of the character posters, but the show will feature other characters, like Nina Zenik (Danielle Galligan) and Matthais (Calahan Sokgman):

What is Shadow and Bone about?

Here’s the official synopsis for the show:

"Based on Leigh Bardugo’s worldwide bestselling Grishaverse novels, Shadow and Bone finds us in a war-torn world where lowly soldier and orphan Alina Starkov has just unleashed an extraordinary power that could be the key to setting her country free. With the monstrous threat of the Shadow Fold looming, Alina is torn from everything she knows to train as part of an elite army of magical soldiers known as Grisha. But as she struggles to hone her power, she finds that allies and enemies can be one and the same and that nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. There are dangerous forces at play, including a crew of charismatic criminals, and it will take more than magic to survive."

Showrunner Eric Heisserer also weighed in: “These photos offer a glimpse into the expansive, textured world Leigh created in her books. We worked tirelessly to craft a lived-in feel for fictional lands like Ketterdam and Ravka, with invented languages, uniforms, currency, and artistic choices from set design to costuming. You’re immersed in the Grishaverse when you read, and it’s our hope that both new and existing fans have that same feeling when they watch the show. The series has an incredibly passionate fanbase and we can’t wait for new people to discover the magic that is Shadow and Bone.”

Shadow and Bone drops on Netflix on April 23.

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