‘The Witcher’ Showrunner Says ‘We Haven’t Even Thought About’ Keeping Henry Cavill in the Franchise
The Witcher has been one of Netflix’s biggest hits since it arrived on the platform. Much of the show’s success was due to Henry Cavill’s performance as Geralt of Rivia. Cavill, who rose to fame thanks to his role as Superman in the DCEU, delivered a riveting portrayal as Geralt, and fans got hooked.
This perhaps explains why fans were shocked to learn of his departure. Since the announcement, audiences everywhere have been trying to get the show to bring back Cavill, but the showrunner says they “haven’t even thought” about keeping him in the franchise.
Liam Hemsworth is the new Geralt of Rivia
On Oct. 29, 2022, Cavill took to Instagram to share the unfortunate news of his departure from The Witcher. He revealed that The Hunger Games actor Liam Hemsworth would replace him in season 4. The news shocked many as the Superman actor had previously expressed his willingness to see The Witcher to the end.
Cavill didn’t explain why he was leaving the part. But the news on the grapevine was that he felt the writers were veering off the original story in the books and wasn’t happy about it. Fans also didn’t know how to feel about the casting decision to have Hemsworth replace Cavill.
While Hemsworth has had significant projects such as The Hunger Games and The Expendables, he hasn’t had roles that have helped him prove himself as a leading man, especially in a fantasy drama like The Witcher.
Hemsworth shared the exciting news on his Instagram, writing in part, “Henry Cavill has been an incredible Geralt and I’m honored 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.”
‘The Witcher’ showrunner says they haven’t considered keeping Henry Cavill on
When Cavill left, many fans assumed it was because of his commitment to his Superman role. However, even after DC Studios gave Cavill a cameo on Black Adam, they announced that they would drop Cavill for a younger actor. The news saddened fans of Cavill’s Superman. But for The Witcher fans, it meant there was hope he would return as Geralt.
However, sources close to Entertainment Weekly said Cavill’s loss of the role of Superman would not impact Netflix’s plans to recast his role in the upcoming fourth season of The Witcher. The publication spoke to showrunner Lauren Hissrich who also confirmed that it would not be possible.
When asked if the fantasy drama had a role somewhere in the Witcher-verse for Cavill now that his schedule has opened up, Hissrich said, “We haven’t even thought about that at this point.” Hissrich didn’t rule out the possibility, noting that The Witcher universe is constantly growing.
“I hope that this doesn’t end for a while, so I think the possibilities are endless, and we’ll see what happens,” the showrunner said. If the show decides to bring back Cavill, they may limit his involvement to behind-the-scenes in a more executive position instead of bringing him back for a part.
‘The Witcher’ will give Henry Cavill a heroic sendoff
Season 3 will follow the ever-looming threat of the Wild Hunt that was teased in seasons 1 and 2. In the season 2 finale, the council decided that Ciri was a threat that needed elimination. So season 3 may see the princess, Geralt, and Yennefer fighting even more for their lives.
The new season will also have “big action events” and “defining character moments” that will give Cavill a proper sendoff. Season 3 of The Witcher began filming in April 2022 and is set to debut in the summer of 2023.
