The popular Netflix series “Shadow and Bone”— a new hit for the young adult (YA) fantasy genre — has announced a second season, and fans are speculating what’s to come as they eagerly await its release.

The series — based on popular YA fantasy books by author Leigh Bardugo — dropped on Netflix in April of 2021. Since then, the eight episode series has become quite popular.

Fans of the books, as well as new followers, loved the show and praised it for its diversity. The show featured many different characters in terms of ethnicity, sexuality and disability. 

After particular casting controversies for some of the main characters and the announcement of a season two, many fans have wondered who will be cast as the roles of Nikolai Lantsov and Wylan Van Eck. Lantsov is a fan favorite among book readers and first appears in the second book in the series “Siege and Storm.” Van Eck is a character from “Six of Crows,” Bardugo’s spin-off series that has been merged with the main series for the show. 

Although season one of the series was very successful, many fans pointed out the problematic themes and casting controversies surrounding many characters, specifically Jessie Mei Li as Alina Starkov. Many readers were hoping that there would be a diverse cast, since the world of “Shadow and Bone” was mostly white.

However, there were many issues surrounding the  depiction of racism and Starkov’s mixed race identity throughout the show. Many fans were upset with the way the show handled the plot, which was not in the books for Starkov’s character. Zoya is the one who has this subplot.

Fans have also accused the show of erasing Jesper Fahey’s bisexuality. With issues like this, people are concerned about how the show is going to portray Van Eck’s dyslexia. 

“Siege and Storm” is the second installment in the Grisha trilogy and introduces fan favorite Nikolai Lantsov. The lovable privateer is adored by many fans, a frequent favorite character in the Grishaverse. People have already begun “fan casting” the character — many want either Evan Roderick or Robert Wilde to portray the role. 

It was discovered that “Game of Thrones” star Toby Sebastian has auditioned for a role. Many speculate he’s trying for Sturmhond, a character that will appear in season two if the show follows the plot of the books. There have also been rumors circulating about Sturmhond and Lantsov being played by two different actors. In the books, Lantsov first appears as Sturmhond to kidnap Starkov and Mal. 

The second season will most likely cover “Siege and Storm.” The book picks up where the first book left off, with Starkov and Mal in hiding from the Darkling and the characters searching for the next amplifier — a source of forbidden magic. Many people wonder where the Crows will fit into this plot, as the show has merged the two series into one central story. 

“Six of Crows” characters Kaz Brekker, Inej Ghafa, Nina Zenik, Mattias Helvar and Jasper Fahey were introduced in season one on the show, but the fourth book in the Grisha series. Fans await casting news about the sixth Crow, Wylan. With more rumors surrounding casting and auditions, hopefully it won’t be long until fans get their answers.