SHADOW AND BONE
LIGHT SAVIOUR
SHADOW AND BONE IS THE LATEST FANTASY SERIES TO JUMP FROM PAGE TO SCREEN. SHOWRUNNER ERIC HEISSERER TELLS US ABOUT ITS JOURNEY
WORDS: BRYAN CAIRNS
WITH HER 2012 NOVEL SHADOW And Bone, Leigh Bardugo introduced readers to a world of magic, monsters and drama. The tale spawned two other bestsellers – Siege And Storm and Ruin And Rising – as well as the Six Of Crows duology. The property always seemed poised to get adapted by a studio, network or streaming service. Inevitably, Netflix scooped it up, before securing Eric Heisserer (Arrival, Bird Box) as showrunner.
Heisserer was already acquainted with the title, having discovered it after making a New Year’s resolution to indulge in more pleasure reading. “The last 12 books I had read prior to Six Of Crows were all for possible adaptations,” he tells SFX. “You go in with a work brain that is constantly analysing what you are doing. I reached out to an old friend and asked for a recommendation, something I hadn’t heard of. And he says, ‘You are going to want to read Ocean’s 11 in a Game Of Thrones world.’ I said, ‘Yes, yes I am. I would like that.’
“I read the first book of the Crows duology and devoured it,” he continues. “I sent a tweet out to author Leigh Bardugo, who I didn’t know, and just said, ‘Phenomenal writing. These characters are living in my head now, and I’m going to go read your other stuff.’ It wasn’t until a year later that Netflix reached out to me and said, ‘So, we know you like Leigh Bardugo. Come in and talk to us.’”