Like many Netflix shows,Shadow and Bonewas canceled a little too soon, but thankfully, Ben Barnes' upcomingStephen Kingadaptation show seems to be its perfect replacement. Based on Leigh Bardugo’sShadow and BoneandSix of Crowsnovels, theNetflix fantasy seriespremiered on a high note when its first season earned an impressive 89% Rotten Tomatoes critics' score. The show’s opening season’s critical and commercial success prompted Netflix to green-flag its next installment, which adaptedSiege and Storm,Ruin and Rising, and segments fromCrooked Kingdom.
Unfortunately, despite earning critical acclaim and having a growing following,Shadow and Bonemet the same disappointing fate as many other Netflix shows after its sophomore installment — it was canceled before it could reach its natural conclusion. Since the series was unique in more ways than one, no show can truly replace it. However, anupcoming adaptation of a Stephen King novel, which starsShadow and Bones' Ben Barnes, could potentially fill the void the Netflix show’s cancellation has left behind.
MGM+’s The Institute Is Ben Barnes' First Major TV Role Since Shadow & Bone’s Cancellation
Ben Barnes Will Play Tim Jamieson In The MGM+ Series
In MGM+’s upcoming adaption ofStephen King’sThe Institute, Ben Barnes has been cast to play one of the leading characters, Tim Jamieson. The book’s story revolves around a bunch of children who awaken in an unknown facility called The Institute. The people running the facility conduct inhumane experiments on the kids, determined to exploit their supernatural abilities. To escape the facility and free themselves from the control of their captors, the kids in the facility eventually join forces and work together in secret.
The closer they get to planning their escape, the more they learn about the facility’s dark secrets and its purpose.Ben Barnes' character, Tim Jamieson, is a newly appointed local sheriff in the serieswho gradually gets embroiled in the central mystery after noticing several strange activities and disappearances in the town he starts working in. While only time will tell how the MGM+ show will portray the character from theStephen King book, Ben Barnes seems the perfect fit for the role.
The Institute Looks Like It Could Become One Of TV’s Best New Horror Shows
Jack Bender Of The From Fame Is Its Showrunner
Stephen King’sThe Institutemay not be as popular as his more mainstream novels, likeThe Shining,Pet Sematary,The Stand, andIt. However, it is still often ranked among his better novels by readers who are well-versed in his long line of work. The book also holds an impressive score of4.2/5 onGoodreads. Since the show is based on an acclaimed horror novel written by the King of Horror, there is no better reason to look forward to its release.
What makes the upcoming show even more promising is thatit has been directed by Jack Bender, whose line of work includes everything from fantasy adaptations likeGame of Thronesto highly acclaimedhorror TV shows likeFrom. Bender has also worked on series, likeThe SopranosandLost, proving thatThe Instituteis in good hands. With a talented actor like Ben Barnes as one of its leads, it is hard not to believe thatThe Institutewill be a harrowingly compelling take on the horror Stephen King novel.
The Institute Book’s Ending Gives The Show A Great Opportunity For Multiple Seasons
The Book Is Fairly Open Ended
Stephen King has not written any official sequels forThe Institute. However, the book has an open ending, which will allow the show to expand into another season if necessary. The show may or may not adapt the entire book in its first season. But even if it does and ends up performing well,MGM+ could invest in its second season by exploring original storylines that build on the universe created by Stephen King. Hopefully, MGM+‘sThe Institutewill be among the better adaptions of King’s novels instead of becoming another forced and wasted take on the horror author’s works.
Shadow and Bonestar Ben Barnes’ inclusion in the series undoubtedly makes it exciting. The fact that Jack Bender is at its helm also adds to its appeal. However, theStephen Kingadaptation’s future will ultimately be determined by its overall critical ratings and the amount of viewership it will drive with its opening season.
Shadow and Bone
Shadow and Bone is a fantasy series set in a world divided by a barrier of darkness. Released on August 14, 2025, it follows a young soldier who discovers a unique power that could reunite her country amid a backdrop of scheming forces, including thugs, thieves, and assassins.
The Institute
Cast
A kidnapped prodigy with special abilities, Luke, ends up at The Institute, while Tim, a former cop, seeks a new life in a nearby town. Their fates are inevitably linked.
