It's time to meet Alina Starkov, The Darkling, and other key characters in Netflix's adaptation of Shadow and Bone. This week, the streaming giant released the first images from the upcoming fantasy show adapted from author Leigh Bardugo's bestselling Grishaverse novels. These exciting first-look images follow on the heels of the first teaser for Shadow and Bone released back in December 2020. At the time, the teaser also confirmed the Netflix show would premiere April 2021, which is now not too far away as we inch closer to February.

Several Shadow and Bone images were shared with fans on Wednesday morning. These images not only give fans a feel for how the show will bring Bardugo's unique Grishaverse settings to life, but also introduce us to the array of characters telling this action-packed fantasy story. Featured cast members include: Jessie Mei Li as Alina Starkov, the hero of our story; Ben Barnes as The Darkling/General Kirigan; Kit Young as Jesper Fahey; Amita Suman as Inej Ghafa; Freddy Carter as Kaz Brekker; Danielle Galligan as Nina Zenik; Calahan Skogman as Matthais; and Archie Renaux as Malyen Oretsev.

Bardugo, who serves as an executive producer on Netflix's Shadow and Bone, offered up some tantalizing remarks about the new images and gave newcomers to the Grishaverse a clearer idea of what to expect when they dig into the eight, one-hour episodes in Season 1.

"'Shadow and Bone' takes place in a very different kind of fantasy world. Think Imperial Russia, not Medieval England, repeating rifles instead of broadswords. It's a story about the people who have been told how much they don't matter proving how much they do. And it's been incredible to see that story take shape on such an epic scale, the battles, the magic, but also the relationships between the characters. These photos give just a tiny hint at what's in store—a mapmaker with an extraordinary gift, the people who want to use her, the tracker who will do anything to protect her, and the team of thugs and thieves who are about to cause some very big trouble for everyone involved."

Heisserer, who serves as both the showrunner and an executive producer on Shadow and Bone, also shared a statement about the new images and what they tease about the forthcoming show. He states,

"These photos offer a glimpse into the expansive, textured world Leigh created in her books. We worked tirelessly to craft a lived-in feel for fictional lands like Ketterdam and Ravka, with invented languages, uniforms, currency, and artistic choices from set design to costuming. You're immersed in the Grishaverse when you read, and it's our hope that both new and existing fans have that same feeling when they watch the show. The series has an incredibly passionate fanbase and we can't wait for new people to discover the magic that is 'Shadow and Bone'."

In addition to Bardugo and Heisserer, the Shadow and Bone executive producer roster includes Lee Toland Krieger (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, Dan Cohen, and Josh Barry for 21 Laps Entertainment and Pouya Shahbazian (Loom Studios). Krieger is also an episode director on Shadow and Bone.

Shadow and Bone will premiere on Netflix on April 23. Below, you can check out the first images from the Netflix show featuring Ben Barnes, Jessie Mei Li, and the rest of the lead cast. For more, see our picks for the best new Netflix shows you can stream right now.

Here's the official synopsis for Shadow and Bone:

Based on Leigh Bardugo's worldwide bestselling Grishaverse novels, 'Shadow and Bone' finds us in a war-torn world where lowly soldier and orphan Alina Starkov has just unleashed an extraordinary power that could be the key to setting her country free. With the monstrous threat of the Shadow Fold looming, Alina is torn from everything she knows to train as part of an elite army of magical soldiers known as Grisha. But as she struggles to hone her power, she finds that allies and enemies can be one and the same and that nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. There are dangerous forces at play, including a crew of charismatic criminals, and it will take more than magic to survive."