Barcelona’s iconic beauty becomes something far darker in Netflix’s upcoming Spanish thriller City of Shadows. What begins as a postcard-perfect view of Gaudí’s architecture turns abruptly sinister when a high-profile figure in Catalonia’s construction world is found hanging from the facade of Casa Milà. The discovery shakes the city, and the case only grows stranger as investigators realize the killer is staging each detail to send a message — one tied to symbolism, ritual and the very identity of Barcelona itself.
It’s also one of the final works of Verónica Echegui, whose recent passing casts an unexpected emotional weight over the release. Here is everything you need to know about City of Shadows – from the plot and cast to its origins and release date. The trailer is at the bottom of the article.
City of Shadows (Ciudad de sombras): All the key details
- Title: City of Shadows
- Original title: Ciudad de sombras
- Format: Miniseries
- Length / Runtime: 1 season; 6 episodes
- Genre: Thriller, crime drama
- Country of production: Spain
- Original language: Spanish
- Release date: December 12, 2025
- Director: Jorge Torregrossa
- Lead cast: Isak Férriz, Verónica Echegui, Ana Wagener, Manolo Solo, Jordi Rico
- Produced by: Arcadia Motion Pictures / Netflix
► Discover our curated selection of the best Spanish movies on Netflix
A macabre crime shakes Barcelona: a charred body appears on the facade of Casa Milà, one of Gaudí’s most iconic works. The discovery forces inspector Milo Malart back into service after a suspension for indiscipline within the Mossos. This is no ordinary case. The brutality of the crime suggests a deeper darkness hiding behind the city’s architectural beauty. The staging of the body, the position on Gaudí’s building, and the precision of the act point to something ritualistic — a message calculated to resonate through the city. “It’s a ritual sacrifice – this will escalate.”
From there, City of Shadows becomes a descent into Barcelona’s underbelly — a world of power structures, architectural symbolism and old secrets that bleed into the present. The city itself becomes an accomplice, its modernist lines and gothic corners framing every clue and every threat. Malart and Garrido must navigate not only a sadistic killer but also their own fragile partnership, one built on friction, instinct and the unspoken fear that the next crime scene may be even more devastating.
You might also like ► “The Platform”: the brutal Spanish dystopian thriller that shocked Netflix worldwide
City of Shadows: main cast and characters
Leading the miniseries is Isak Férriz (Infiesto, Burning Body, Feria), who brings to life the brilliant and unpredictable inspector Milo Malart. A Catalan actor deeply rooted in the Spanish film and television landscape, Férriz has built a solid body of work over the years, moving with ease between dark, intense roles and more subtle, introspective performances. International audiences know him for his standout turn in Burning Body, while fans of Spanish drama remember him from Gigantes and a number of independent films that have showcased both his screen presence and his ability to inhabit morally complex characters.
At his side is Verónica Echegui (The Patients of Dr. García), who plays inspector Rebeca Garrido, the new partner Malart is less than thrilled to work with. Their dynamic, teased in the trailer, is built on friction: she’s determined and incisive, he’s unpredictable and wounded, yet the two share an intuitive way of reading the city’s hidden patterns. A performer of remarkable talent and emotional intelligence, Echegui had already impressed viewers in Intimacy and in films such as My Name Is Juani and Kathmandu, roles that earned her Goya nominations and a reputation for bringing depth and vulnerability to very different characters.
Rounding out the cast are Ana Wagener, a multi-award-winning actress with a long career spanning both cinema and television (The Realm, The Sea Inside); Manolo Solo, a familiar face thanks to acclaimed titles like The Fury of a Patient Man and Marshland; and Jordi Rico, a versatile actor active across Spanish theatre and TV. Together, this ensemble gives the series a mature tone, firmly grounded in the tradition of European thrillers.
Is City of Shadows based on a true story?
No. The series is not based on real events, but it adapts the first novel in the Milo Malart saga by Aro Sáinz de la Maza, author of a celebrated noir tetralogy published by Destino (Grupo Planeta). His depiction of Barcelona as a city of contradictions is central to the on-screen portrayal.
Why watch City of Shadows
If you enjoyed Burning Body or Marshland, this is the right miniseries for you, blending crime, atmosphere and character-driven tension set against Barcelona’s most striking architecture.
City of Shadows release date on streaming
Available soon. City of Shadows arrives on Netflix on December 12, 2025.WATCH ON NETFLIX
