Cassandra Clare updates us on THE INFERNAL DEVICES TV show

Shadowhunter Chronicles author Cassandra Clare shares news to her fans about Constantin’s plans for THE INFERNAL DEVICES TV series.

Despite the Shadowhunters series being officially canned by Freeform (yes, we still want to #SaveShadowhunters, and we know they’re still talking about it), surprisingly, there’s still talk to create a TV series based on the other Shadowhunters-related book series, The Infernal Devices.

For many fans of the books, The Infernal Devices is the ultimate favorite series in all The Shadowhunter Chronicles. Thus, we’re vary aware of how important this is, and we’re very wary of how this will come about with Constantin, especially since the City of Bones feature film wasn’t exactly stellar in the box office, either.

Be that as it may, Constantin still knows the values of these books as is shown by the fans’ refusal to back down when it comes to the Shadowhunters TV series. Because of this, Cassie has given us some news about what’s going on a Tumblr post:

I have been hearing a lot about an Infernal Devices TV show spinoff of Shadowhunters, is that happening? Would it be a spinoff of the existing show and did they just start developing it?

Hi guys! I’ve received a few (hundred) questions about this one. As you all know, Constantin has had the rights to both the Mortal Instruments and the Infernal Devices for years and they have the legal right to develop any show about TID that they want to. A TID show has been in their minds for a while now as an independent project unrelated to the movie or to the show that went before.

Last year I found out that TID had a writer for a pilot script. I can’t say who she is, but she is really clever and insightful and has worked on fantasy properties before, which I think is so important.

I have talked to the writer on and off every month or so for about six months. I like her a lot and she has read all the books. She knows the time period well and gets the characters. I do like the pilot, though pilots can always change.

It is not a spinoff of Shadowhunters in any way other than having related source material. They aren’t set in the same “world” – the world building and mythology is the mythology and magic of the books, not the Freeform show. I understand it must be confusing to hear it called a spinoff (and no one involved has ever called it that in my hearing) but it isn’t a spinoff any more than Carrie was a spinoff of The Shining or American Gods was a spinoff of Neverwhere. They’re just separate shows based on books by the same author. I know It seems weird for news about it to come out so soon after the cancellation of Shadowhunters, and makes them seem connected, but they are not. (I was also surprised.) But it’s an ongoing project, and has been for a while. Here is Constantin discussing it in Variety in April:

https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/constantin-tv-chief-oliver-berben-drama-brands-global-audiences-1202748973/

“Constantin is also trying to create new brands, such as “The Typist,” and is working on a TV adaptation of Clare’s novels “The Infernal Devices.”

I’ve known they were going to meet with Netflix and other networks about this for months, so I’m interested to hear that’s still happening despite everything – the cancellation of Shadowhunters could have meant the end of the development of any projects set in the Shadow World, but those involved in the TID show project have been very dedicated to it for a while now. There’s been a lot of interest in making it, but obviously it’s far from definite. I am curious to see what will happen and will keep you updated.

As dedicated as the people working on TID are, they need the support from a studio to get it shown. We’re just hoping that other studios aside from Freeform will take interest. There are plenty out there.