Shadow and Bone season 2 seems as though it's coming along nicely. The hit Netflix fantasy show's next instalment is two months into its production (as of March 2022, anyway) and, by all accounts, principal photography is progressing well.
The Netflix show is one of our most highly anticipated projects. After all, we really enjoyed Shadow and Bone's first season , so why wouldn't we be eager to see more? We're sure you are, too, but it could be a while before the TV series returns to Netflix . Regardless, we live in hope that we'll see Shadow and Bone season 2 before the year is over.
While we wait for its return, what do we know about Shadow and Bone season 2? At the moment, not much. With the cast and crew in the midst of filming, there's been very little news to report on. New cast member Lewis Tan has teased us with a snippet of what to expect, while some of the show's other actors have posted a few images on social media. That aside, though, there's not been much in the way of recent information to deliver to you.
But that's not to say there isn't plenty of other news for you to catch up on. Below, you'll find out everything worth knowing about Shadow and Bone season 2, including its potential release date, cast, possible plot and more. Spoilers follow for Shadow and Bone's first season and the book series.
Shadow and Bone season 2 release date: 2023?
There’s no official release date for season 2 just yet. We knew that a second season was coming following its June 2021 announcement. But, now that Shadow and Bone season 2 has officially entered production, we can guess when the fantasy TV series might be back on our screens.
So when could we see Shadow and Bone season 2 land on Netflix? The show's first season took four months to film, with principal photography running from October 2019 to February 2020. If season 2 follows a similar filming pattern, production – which is currently taking place in Hungary, based on social media posts from the cast – should wrap in May.
However, the ongoing pandemic, additional reshoots and a lengthy post-production phase meant that it would be 14 months before season 1 officially aired in April 2021. If season 2 befalls a similar fate, the next batch of episodes may not arrive until summer 2023.
We hope that it won't take that long for Shadow and Bone to return. But fans of Leigh Bardugo's book series and the TV show will want season 2 to be as good as possible. If it means we have to wait longer for its arrival to ensure it's a stellar follow-up to the show's first season, we're happy to do so – although we won't complain if it does arrive sooner than we think.
Shadow and Bone season 2 cast: who is playing who?
Here's a full rundown of season 2's confirmed cast of characters, and the actors portraying them:
As Shadow and Bone’s principal protagonists, Alina and Mal will return, while Kirigan – who survived the attack in the Shadow Fold in the season 1 finale – is also back.
Kaz, Jesper and Inej, too, are part of the season 2 line-up. As in the Six of Crows duology, the Dregs’ story (more on this below) will line up with Nina and Matthias’, so we should see that trio link up with the latter duo. This was hinted at in season 1’s final episode, so expect them to join forces as they do in the novels.
As for characters who have also made the leap from Bardugo’s book series to the live-action TV series, Wylan Hendriks (whose surname has been changed from 'Van Eck' for the TV show) is one of four new confirmed cast members.
In the novels, Wylan Van Eck joins the Dregs as their demolitions expert for a job inside Fjerdan’s military stronghold known as the Ice Court. Jack Wolfe (Inside No. 9, The Witcher) will portray Wylan in season 2.
Another fan favorite character set to appear in season 2 is Nikolai Lantsov, and he'll be portrayed by Irish actor Patrick Gibson (Tolkien, The Darkest Minds). In the books, Nikolai adopts the pseudonym Sturmhond and leads a pirate armada that aids the war effort for the kingdom of Ravka. Nikolai becomes a key ally of Alina and Mal’s, so his arrival in Netflix’s adaptation will be vital if the TV show follows Siege and Storm’s storyline for season 2.
The final two newcomers to Shadow and Bone's second season are twin siblings Tolya Yul-Battar and Tamar Kir-Battar, who'll be played by Lewis Tan (Mortal Kombat) and Anna Leong Brophy (Traces) respectively.
In the novels, Tolya is a Grisha Heartrender and a member of Sturmhond's pirate crew. Tamar, meanwhile, is also a Heartrender, but an ex-member of Sturmhond's team. The pair also meet up with Zoya in one of Shadow and Bone's spin-off novels, so expect elements of this book's story to be incorporated into season 2.
There's no word on where Zoe Wanamaker's Baghra will return from season 1. But the rest of the first season's cast are due to return, with each actor appearing in the season 2 production announcement video above.
Shadow and Bone season 2 trailer: is there one?
No, and there won’t be for a long time. If principal photography begins soon, we could get a teaser in late 2022. Until then, there won't even be a teaser to speak of.
Shadow and Bone season 2 plot: what's the story about?
Spoilers follow for Shadow and Bone season 1 and the novel series.
Season 2 is likely to follow stories from Siege and Storm, Six of Crows, and King of Scars. That's based on those returning cast members, new additions to the show's line-up, and what the season 1 finale set up.
With Alina and Mal going their separate ways to the Dregs following season 1’s finale, the second season will continue their journey to new lands to keep Alina out of Kirigan’s reach. That means they're sure to bump into Nikolai at some point, but we'll discuss him in a bit.
As season 1’s final entry revealed, Kirigan has tapped into his Darkling powers and created new Fold creatures known as Nichevo’ya. Unlike the Volcra that inhabit the Fold, these monsters can move in broad daylight. Expect them to be difficult adversaries for Alina and Mal to overcome.
Ben Barnes, who portrays Kirigan/the Darkling in Netflix’s TV show, has expressed interest in seeing season 2 “steer off” from the story in the books (per Collider ) in a similar vein to how season 1 incorporated the Dregs into Alina’s arc. It’s unclear if season 2 will do so, but it would be an intriguing twist on the source material if it did. It would give established fans some new content to enjoy, although some may not agree with the show's potential divergence from the novels if it does.
The Dregs, meanwhile, are likely to team up with Nina in a bid to free Matthias, before the quintet and Wylan join forces to rescue someone known as Bo Yul-Bayur. The Shu chemist and Fabrikator is the inventor of a drug that Grisha find addictive but, in Siege and Storm, he's being held captive at Fjerda’s Ice Court. Shadow and Bone season 1 has already utilized the Ice Court’s ‘impossible heist’ angle for the Dregs’ initial mission to try and capture Alina, though, so it’s possible that Bo’s rescue may be altered for the TV series.
Another adapted story from a Grishaverse novel – King of Scars – could follow Zoya. A supporting character in the Grisha trilogy, Zoya’s character is given a more prominent role in Bardugo’s second duology and elements of the story from these books may be incorporated into the TV show, as Bardugo teased in an interview with Entertainment Weekly .
In the season 1 finale, Zoya was seen heading to Novokribrisk – the city that Kirigan destroys with the Fold – to search for her family. Should she find that they’ve perished, Zoya could team up with the Dregs again, as she does in the Six of Crows’ Crooked Kingdom novel. Alternatively, given that Tamar and Tolya cross paths with Zoya in King of Scars, and their inclusion in season 2, we may see a team up between this trio.
According to Tolya actor Lewis Tan (per filmupdateet ), season 2 is set to be an "insane" ride for viewers. "It's going to be insane. I’m really excited and the cast is really nice. They’ve been very welcoming. I’ve been [in Hungary] for two months now, and we’ve been working really hard."
The addition of Lantsov will see his arc from Siege and Storm form a key component of the show's second season. In the novels, Lantsov – the former king of Ravka, who masquerades as a pirate leader known as Sturmhond – is hired by the Darkling to transport him through the True Sea in order to track down a mythical dragon known as the Rusalye. Lantsov, though, eventually teams up with Alina and Mal, and fights alongside the duo to stop the Darkling from exacting his master plan. Expect Lantsov's origin story and some of his Siege and Storm character arc to be used in the TV show.
Finally, we know how many episodes there will be in season 2. Per The Hollywood Reporter , Shadow and Bone will return with another eight-episode run – good news for those of us who enjoyed what was on offer in season 1.
Shadow and Bone season 2: does it deserve another outing?
Yes. While it doesn't have a following as big as other major fantasy series, such as The Witcher , Harry Potter or The Lord of the Rings , the Grishaverse still has a sizable and passionate audience. Its fanbase is likely to have grown, too, with Netflix's adaptation introduces the series to new audiences since its April 2021 debut.
There are numerous directions that Netflix's adaptation of the Grishaverse can go in as well. Like the streamer's growing Witcher-Verse, Shadow and Bone could potentially lead to spin-offs that delve into the wider universe and be based on Bardugo's sizable source material. Whether it's expanding on a pre-existing short story or creating entirely new content, Netflix can go in all manner of directions in and around Shadow and Bone season 2.
And, if it continues to be a success, future seasons and spin-offs may be put into production by Netflix, too. The streaming giant has shown it'll put faith in projects that deliver huge viewing figures, so Shadow and Bone's future may be bright if its second season draws in a large audience again.
Chelsea vs Chesterfield live stream: how to watch FA Cup online from anywhere
Non-league Chesterfield will be hoping for a little bit of FA Cup magic as they come up against the reigning Champions League holders at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup today. Follow our guide to see how to watch a Chelsea vs Chesterfield live stream, and catch this FA Cup third round tie where you are.
The Spireites are having a great season in the National League in the fifth tier of English football, while Chelsea sit third in the Premier League.
Thomas Tuchel's side have lost back-to-back FA Cup Finals in the last two years following defeats to Arsenal and Leicester at Wembley, and will be keen to make a good start to this year's campaign as they look to go one better.
While few pundits are likely to give non-league Chesterfield a chance of pulling off an upset this afternoon, the minnows have form in the FA Cup with a historic run that took them to the semi-finals in 96/97.
Here's how to get a Chelsea vs Chesterfield live stream and watch this FA Cup third round fixture online today .
Watch Chelsea vs Chesterfield live stream FREE in the UK
Watch Chelsea vs Chesterfield from anywhere
If you're abroad right now and struggling to tap into BBC iPlayer, you'll want a VPN . This helps you circumvent the geo-blocking that will try to stop you watching a Chelsea vs Chesterfield live stream in other parts of the world while on your travels.
VPNs are a useful means of getting around this issue. They are cheap and easy to set-up as well. Here's how it's done.
Use a VPN to watch Chelsea vs Chesterfield from anywhere
Using a VPN to watch the sports is as easy as 1-2-3:
1. Download and install a VPN - we recommend ExpressVPN
2. Connect to the relevant server location - launch the VPN app, click on 'choose location' and select the right location i a server in the UK for iPlayer
3. Head to the chosen broadcaster's live stream - in this case, head to the BBC iPlayer
How to watch Chelsea vs Chesterfield live stream in the US
A note-taking app that works like iMessage shouldn't work, but it does
Every week I’m sent apps that are meant to help or solve a situation for users that haven’t been done before. But I was sent a particular app this week that made me rethink how a note-taking app should work.
Created by Rihab Mehboob, Note Yourself was released this week (January 20) for iOS for $2.99 / £2.99 / AU$ 2.99 where you can note down your thoughts and your plans, but in a chat interface.
You may think, as I did at the start, that this sounds like a combination that simply can’t work. It sounds like having sugar on your Weetabix, or playing Banjo Kazooie on an iPad. But the more I’ve used Note Yourself, the more I’ve been impressed.
You’re brought to a layout that looks as though you’re going to start a conversation with yourself, and you can jot down something that you can set to remind you after a certain amount of time. You can also pin some of these entries to easily go back to, all in a very simple but elegant layout.
I’ve been using the app already for a shopping list at the weekend, and, unashamedly, the daily tasks I need to complete for Fortnite . It wasn’t long before I promoted the icon to my main home screen on my iPhone , and after speaking to some of the TechRadar team alongside some family, I was surprised to find that some do indeed jot down notes by sending messages to themselves over WhatsApp , WeChat, and iMessage. Is this the app they, and so many others, have been waiting for?
And when you consider a messaging layout with notes, could the same logic be applied to a music app? Or a storefront? It’s apps like Note Yourself that feel fresh, 14 years since the App Store first appeared, and it makes me wonder what other apps could be coming in 2022. I reached out to Mehboob to ask what made him design Note Yourself in the first place.
A chat with Note Yourself’s developer
I spoke with Mehboob after last night’s launch to ask why he thought this layout would work better for a notes app. “To keep track of various tasks, I used to message myself through iMessage, and after realizing I could make a dedicated app, with many features, I began making this app,” Mehboob explains. “I personally really like the idea of themed apps, where an app takes the style of another genre – and I think this was a great demonstration of that.”
After trying out many apps in this category over the years, I wanted to know why he thought this stood out, apart from the different layout. “It may not be as serious or feature-filled as some great note-taking apps, but it's a fun attempt at changing things up.” Mehboob continues. “I really like the UI/UX myself, and I love adding interesting features like the new iOS 15 Communication Notifications (to make it seem as if the notes you are receiving are being sent by others) and pinned messages, which to stand out I decided to make it seem as if the note is being sent by you as opposed to being sent to you.”
Using the app for reminders – thanks to the message notification feature – I can receive a slight nudge between 1 minute and 24 hours, similar to someone messaging me back. I asked Mehoob what other situations this could be used for.
“In fairness, they could be used in any situation! If you want some motivation, they could be used to act as if others are giving commands or letting you know what tasks are left.”
Already I’m using Message Yourself as an alternative note-taking app for sudden to-do lists, but there’s plenty of opportunity for improvements. I wanted to know what was coming up next for features.
“I’m currently attempting to add Siri Shortcuts, where you could let Siri know of any tasks or notes you might want to jot down but do let me know what you’d like to see.”