Today is the day, friends! We finally got an update regarding Netflix’s Shadow and Bone, the live action adaptation of the Grishaverse. Based on the books by Leigh Bardugo, the show will bring the fantastical world of Ravka onto the small screen. Thanks to Netflix’s Twitter account, we learned that a lot of newcomers will be leading the cast along with one familiar face and we’re stoked!
First, a little backstory. The Grishaverse consists of one trilogy, one duology and (currently) one spin off novel. The original trilogy is set primarily in war-torn Ravka, a world similar to Russia. The nation is split in two thanks to a dark, magical entity known as the Shadowfold. Many who enter it don’t come out alive. Those who enter it are helped by Grisha, magic users with specific types of powers such as weather manipulators, and so on. Meanwhile the Six of Crows duology is set in the Amsterdam-inspired Ketterdam. (See what she did there?) That story focused on a gang of thieves trying to pull of one of the biggest heists their world has ever known. Let’s get into the cast, shall we?
Jessie Mei Li will be starring as Alina Starkov, a lonely orphan whose world changes drastically when she discovers she has the extremely rare ability to summon light or sunlight. She’s the focus of the original trilogy novels so her role will be quite large in the show.
Alina’s childhood-friend-turned-love-interest Malyen Oretsev will be played by Archie Renaux. Mal’s a solider for Ravka and popular among men and women. However when Alina discovers her powers, he’s pulled into the magical world of Grisha. Which may or may not cause some trouble between the two.
Ben Barnes, best known for his roles in the Narnia films and Westworld, is set to play General Kirigan. The name is unfamiliar to book readers but Barnes confirmed on Twitter that General Kirigan is in fact the antagonist of the original series, a powerful Grisha known as The Darkling. He has the rare ability to summon shadow. He’ll initially be set up as the leader of the Second Army, a Ravkan army comprised of Grisha. He’s determined to free the lands of the Shadowfold. There is much more to this character but you’ll have to read the books or wait for the series to know more about him.
On the flip side of Shadow and Bone, we have some gang members from Ketterdam making an appearance. Freddy Carter will be playing Kaz Brekker, a “criminal prodigy” as it were under the code name Dirtyhands. He’s the leader of the gang known as the Dregs. He’s made a name for himself in the shady underworld of Ketterdam and he’s all about making money.
Kaz’s right-hand woman Inej will be played by Amita Suman. A dangerous assassin and spy, she goes under the code name Wraith. She’s so quiet and stealthy that she can sneak in anywhere. It’s like she was never there, hence the code name. She tends to favor daggers as her weapon of choice. She’s also the love interest for Kaz.
Wrapping up our Crows cast is Kit Young as Jesper Fahey. This sharpshooter has a bit of a gambling addiction. It’s gotten him into so much trouble that he joined the Dregs gang in order to fund his debts (and further gambling). Jesper favors two revolvers with pearl handles. If that weren’t enough to win you over, he also develops a love interest in the series – making him one of the few LGBT+ characters.
Additional cast members consist of Sujaya Dasgupta as Zoya, an arrogant Grisha. Daisy Head will play Genya, a Grisha able to change people’s physical appearance. She also serves the Queen of Ravka. Finally, Danielle Galligan will play Nina, a Grisha first seen in the Six of Crows series.
Other important characters that have yet to be announced are Prince Nikolai, Matthias Helvar, and Wylan Van Eck. However since today is the first day of shooting the series, we might hear of the casting later. In fact, this is only the cast for season one, so it’s possible we may not see the others till later on.
Unfortunately as of right now, there is no release date for Shadow and Bone. However we were lucky enough to see a cast photo which you can check out below! We will be keeping our eyes and ears open for any more news from the adaptation.
Are you excited for the series? Do you like the cast? Let us know! Be sure to come back to Geek Girl Authority for more fantasy news. Shadow and Bone has no release date and will debut on Netflix.
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#ShadowAndBone — based on @LBardugo's Shadow and Bone and Six of Crow novels — has found its cast: Ben Barnes as General Kirigan, Freddy Carter as Kaz Brekker, Jessie Mei Li as Alina Starkov, Archie Renaux as Malyen Oretsev, Amita Suman as Inej, and Kit Young as Jesper Fahey. pic.twitter.com/4Y79wWleMl
— Netflix Queue (@netflixqueue) October 2, 2019
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