10 fantasy movies and shows like Netflix’s Shadow and Bone

Movies and shows like Shadow and Bone

Fantasy is escapism, but the genre doesn’t shy away from real-world issues. In fact, they often inform the narratives constructed in these universes full of unparalleled power. The Netflix original series Shadow and Bone is the latest show to join this storied tradition, taking Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse and bringing it to life for a new audience.

However, with the series done for the time being, that leaves behind a void, a need for more content. A desire for more fantastical stories and worlds to fall headfirst into and explore. That’s where this list comes in, Netflix Lifers.

We’ve compiled 10 fantasy movies and shows like Shadow and Bone just for you. While the series is unique in its own right, it’s not dissimilar from other stories that share its genre. The themes found in fantasy often circle back to what it means to belong, a hero’s journey, and the responsibility that comes with great power.

Whether it’s a young man who comes across a fallen star or a young girl with otherworldly abilities, fantasies aren’t only about what sets someone apart. They’re also about being a part of something bigger than yourself.

In Shadow and Bone, we saw the beginning of Alina Starkov‘s journey. As the Sun Summoner, she is the hope of her people both Grisha and non-Grisha alike. Her story has just begun on Netflix, but she isn’t alone in her quest to find her place and understand her power.

There are other stories just like hers on the streamer. More even than the ten we’ve collected here. But this is a starting place for any newcomers to fantasy or those looking to go on yet another twisting ride full of adventure, power, and worlds alike and unlike our own.

Here’s to going off the deep end into more fantasy! Let’s start with the modern classic Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Shows like Shadow and Bone: Avatar: The Last Airbender

Nickelodeon is home to many childhood favorites from Hey Arnold! to Spongebob Squarepants but when it comes to fantasy, the network’s masterpiece is Avatar: The Last Airbender.

The fantasy action-adventure series created by Bryan Konietzko and Michael Dante DiMartino ran from 2005-2008. In that short time, the show amassed a huge following as fans fell in love with Aang’s quest to master the elements in preparing to stop Fire Lord Ozai’s tyranny.

Though Aang was but 12 years old, the fate of the world rested on his young shoulders as he struggled to come into his own not just with his abilities but in his understanding of a world that had changed over the 100 years that he was trapped in a glacier.

But thanks to Katara, the last waterbender in the Southern Water Tribe, and her brother Sokka, Aang’s journey turned out to be full of adventures taking him around the world to meet new friends like the earthbender Toph and discover a way to bring an end to the Fire Nation’s reign of terror without compromising the values the Air monks instilled in him.

Friendship, forgiveness, and redemption are huge themes in Avatar: Last Airbender. The latter can especially be seen in Zuko, the abused son of the Fire Lord who travels with his Uncle Iroh in search of the Avatar. He hopes that capturing Aang will renew his father’s faith in him.

All three seasons of the series are available to stream on Netflix. The platform is currently developing a live-action adaptation of the show that is rumored to have major changes for the story fans know and love.