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Henry Cavill Exiting Netflix’s The Witcher After Season 3, Will be Replaced by Liam Hemsworth
Image Credit: Netflix
A word that Henry Cavill’s Geralt of Rivia tends to use regularly in The Witcher TV series comes to mind at the moment. After an initial announcement on Henry Cavill’s Instagram, the actor and Netflix have confirmed that Cavill is leaving the dark fantasy series, The Witcher, following the show’s upcoming third season.
With Cavill stepping down, Netflix has also announced that actor Liam Hemsworth (The Hunger Games, Independent Day: Resurgence) will be coming on board and serving as Cavill’s replacement for the newly revealed Season 4. Cavill wrote the following in his statement on today’s news:
“My journey as Geralt of Rivia has been filled with both monsters and adventures, and alas, I will be laying down my medallion and my swords for Season 4. In my stead, the fantastic Mr. Liam Hemsworth will be taking up the mantle of the White Wolf. As with the greatest of literary characters, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt and enthusiasm to see Liam’s take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men. Liam, good sir, this character has such a wonderful depth to him, enjoy diving in and seeing what you can find.”
Hemsworth was very enthusiastic for his part and stated the following:
“As a Witcher fan I’m over the moon about the opportunity to play Geralt of Rivia. Henry Cavill has been an incredible Geralt, and I’m honoured that he’s handing me the reins and allowing me to take up the White Wolf’s blades for the next chapter of his adventure. Henry, I’ve been a fan of yours for years and was inspired by what you brought to this beloved character. I may have some big boots to fill, but I’m truly excited to be stepping into The Witcher world.”
There is a lot to unpack here. The news comes just mere days after Cavill announced that he’s back as Superman for the DC Universe film franchise. However, Cavill continued to do film work after signing for The Witcher role.
Also, a former writer and co-producer on the show, Beau DeMayo, recently revealed in a Q&A on his Instagram Stories (via IGN) that “some of the writers were not or actively disliked the books and games (even actively mocking the source material).” DeMayo continued, “It’s a recipe for disaster and bad morale. Fandom as a litmus test checks egos, and makes all the long nights worth it. You have to respect the work before you’re allowed to add to its legacy.”
Showrunner Lauren Hissrich was looking for a seven-season run on the show, based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s series of books. When speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in November 2021 regarding staying on the series, he stated, “Absolutely. As long as we can keep telling great stories which honor Sapkowski’s work.” Season 2 of the show did receive criticism from fans for some of its more notable changes from the source material.
Cavill’s exit comes ahead of the launch of the first spinoff series for the franchise, The Witcher: Blood Origin, which debuts in December, and Season 3, which is due out in Summer 2023. Another anime feature based on the series is also in the works, along with a kids and family-friendly spinoff series.
The Witcher: Blood Origin, a prequel set over a thousand years before the events of the mainline show, debuts on Netflix on December 25.
