Shadow And Bone TV series: Westworld’s Ben Barnes joins the cast

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Netflix is making another hefty fantasy show, with the streaming service working on an adaptation of Leigh Bardugo’s best-selling Grishaverse novels…

There is some proper pedigree bringing Netflix’s Shadow And Bone series to life: Eric Heisserer of Arrival and Bird Box are working with Shawn Levy of Stranger Things to shepherd an 8-episode first season to the screen. Heisserer is serving as showrunner, with Levy producing through his production company.

It’s been revealed this week that Ben Barnes (The Punisher, Westworld) will be playing General Kirigan, aka The Darkling. Elsewhere, Jessie Mei Li has been cast as protagonist Alina Starkov, Freddie Carter is Kaz Brekker, Amita Suman is Inej Ghafa, Kit Young is Jesper Fahey, and Archie Renaux will be Malyen Oretsev.

See the full main cast below…

If you’re unfamiliar with these books, here’s the synopsis for Shadow And Bone, courtesy of GoodReads

“Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee.

“Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling.

“Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha . . . and the secrets of her heart.”

We’ll bring you more news on the show as it unfolds.