9 Shows and Movies to Watch After You’ve Finished Shadow and Bone
If you’re a fantasy-genre stan or, as I fondly call it, hot-people-in-robes entertainment, you’ve definitely seen Shadow and Bone. Netflix's latest book-to-screen adaptation, the fantasy series follows a teen orphan named Alina (Jessie Mei Li) who discovers she has a powerful ability that could save her country.
I watched the whole thing in less than 24 hours.
Are you also feeling pangs of emptiness after your binge watch? Dreaming about The Darkling? I can relate—so I've rounded up some hot nerd porn to keep me you going. And if you're thinking, Ugh, I bet she's just going to tell me to watch Game of Thrones…WRONG! There's zero mention of GoT in this roundup. Everything that's needed to be said about the adventures in Westeros has been said.
Plus, there are so many more options in the streaming universe that dabble in witches, werewolves, and everything in between. Below, find nine movies and TV shows like Shadow and Bone to keep you going while you wait for a season-two announcement. Grab those steampunk goggles—the shows are about to start.
The Witcher
Henry Cavill has long, flowing hair and plays Geralt of Rivia, a mercenary for hire who kills monsters. What more do you need to know? This show hits all the markers for good fantasy TV. Princesses in danger, mythical beasts, sexy witches, epic battle scenes…you’ll have a taste of all of that and more. You’ll also be pleasantly satisfied with the chemistry between Geralt and Yennefer (Anya Chalotra). Steamy is an understatement.
The Nevers
We needed more feminist stories in the fantasy genre, so I'm grateful for this new HBO series set in Victorian England. After a supernatural event, many of London's citizens (and mostly women) find themselves with powers. So, of course, a bunch of old, stuffy white men decided that these abilities should be frowned upon and call this new group of people “the touched.” The classification leads to essentially a witch hunt, which forces many of the Touched women to land at The Orphanage. Think of it as this universe's version of Xavier’s School for the Gifted, and its Professor X is Amalia True (Laura Donnelly). The show is currently airing, but my favorite character so far is Penance (Ann Skelly), who uses her powers to invent all kinds of steampunk-looking gizmos. If you're down for badass ladies fighting “the man” while also fighting criminal underlings, come right this way.
Cursed
King Arthur is a legend we’ve all heard before, but never quite like this. Katherine Langford stars as Nimue, of The Fey people (fairies). After losing her mother, she sets out on a quest to deliver a sword to sorcerer Merlin (Gustaf Skarsgård). But she most do so in the midst of a war waged by the villainous Red Paladins, an extremely awful army of religious zealots who hate magic. While most Arthurian legends focus on Arthur, this is the origin story of the Lady of the Lake. Arthur (Devon Terrell) is along for the ride (major babe alert, by the way), but he's the sidekick in this tale. The best twist of all is about Sir Lancelot—you’ll never see it coming.
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
We interrupt this list to watch…a kids movie? Hear me out. One of the yummiest parts of Shadow and Bone is the Big Baddy, the Darkling. But did you know that Ben Barnes, who plays the hot villain, is also Prince Caspian?! Go back in time to see his teen days in Narnia. Fangirling aside, this Narnia sequel is actually a really fun flick.
The Order
If you put the Skull and Bones society, Harry Potter, any CW teen drama, and a pinch of Twilight together, you get Netflix’s The Order. It’s a fantasy fan's dream come to life: Go to college and get invited to join a magical secret society. The Order takes place at the fictional Belgrave University, where Jack Morton (Jack Manley) gets inducted into the Hermetic Order of The Blue Rose (wizards). And, surprise, their enemies are the Knights of St. Christopher (werewolves). Everyone is hot, everything is dramatic, and it’s only two seasons long. It’s perfect for that weekend-fling binge you’ve been craving.
Fate: The Winx Saga
The first thing that comes to mind when you think about fairies is usually Tinkerbell, right? This show changes that. Fate: The Winx Saga follows Bloom Peters (Abigail Cowen) on her road to self-discovery at a magical boarding school. She grew up a normal, American teen when she finds out in a moment of teen rage that she has powers. More specifically, she can manipulate fire. There’s a lot of drama surrounding Bloom and her origins. Add in a healthy splash of mean-girl pettiness and spicy love interests (hello, Danny Griffin), and you’ve got yourself an entertaining Y.A. fantasy.
The Old Guard
Action movie meets fantasy drama? Sign me up! The Old Guard follows a gang of centuries-old mercenaries, a secret group that has been shaping history since ancient times. Their leader, Andy (Charlize Theron), is likened to that of an Amazon, and she kicks major ass. The newest member to the team, Nile (Kiki Layne), reluctantly joins after she discovers she can’t die. The big bad in this movie is, weirdly enough, big pharma. The movie uses just the right amount of historical references and fight scenes to create one helluva popcorn movie with potential for a sequel. (I hope!)
His Dark Materials
While not as steamy as Shadow and Bone, this had to be included. Chances are if you read the Shadow and Bone books as an adult, you probably read The Golden Compass as a kid. His Dark Materials is the latest screen adaptation of the series and follows young Lyra (Dafne Keen) as she fights the Magesterium for oppressing magic. Come for the fantastical world building, but stay for the all-star cast. Lin-Manuel Miranda, James McAvoy, and Ruth Wilson all grace the screen in this epic. I guarantee it’s better than 2007’s The Golden Compass adaptation.
Beautiful Creatures
This Y.A. movie kind of tanked on Rotten Tomatoes, but I’m not sure why. Hot people, gorgeous costumes, magic, Emma Thompson as an evil witch mom…these are all very good things! At the center is a love story between Lena (Alice Englert) and Ethan (Alden Ehrenreich). Lena is the mysterious new girl at school with a secret: She’s a caster (what they call witches and wizards in this universe). Normal teens get a car when they turn 16; casters become either evil or good. Add in a lovesick boy to the mix and even more chaos ensues.
Rent it on Amazon Prime Video.
Manasa Vedula is a writer, social media strategist, and photographer based in New York City. Follow her on Instagram @manasavedula.
Originally Appeared on Glamour
