The Witcher actor differentiates the Netflix show from Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones has inspired a great many other networks and streaming services to invest in their own high-profile fantasy shows, from The Wheel of Time and The Lord of the Rings on Amazon to The Mandalorian on Disney+ to See on Apple TV+ to The Witcher on Netflix. All of these shows will have their work cut out for them trying to distinguish themselves from HBO’s monolith; even if they’re as different as different can be, people are still going to make comparisons.

We can already see this happening with The Witcher, which comes out later this year. Speaking to Digital Spy, actor Royce Pierreson made his case for why the new show stands alone. “It’s an amazing ensemble piece,” he said, “and every character has their own journey and their own story.”

"The Witcher has its own world and universe and there are always going to be genre comparisons, but I think The Witcher has its own proper characters and their own struggles. And I think that’s what people will see and really connect with."

If Netflix does this right, and so far it looks like they’re managing, I think Pierreson is on to something. Based on a series of novels by Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher follows Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill), a professional making his way in a gritty fantasy world full of scheming human plots and fading magical races. Also prominent are Ciri (Freya Allan), Geralt’s protégé, and Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), a powerful sorceress and Geralt’s on-again off-again lover. Pierreson plays Istredd, another of Yennefer’s longtime lovers. In a story from Sword of Destiny, the second book in the series, Istredd and Geralt find out about each other and prepare to duel for Yennefer’s affection. She ends up leaving them both.

I fully expect that story to show up in the first season of the show. That kind of interpersonal drama could be what helps The Witcher stand out, even if it resembles series like Game of Thrones and The Lord of the Rings with its medieval milieu. Like any show, success or failure will depend on whether Netflix can get people invested with the characters, and The Witcher has some good ones. “It’s a huge scale project,” Pierreson continued, “[but] it’s very intimate in terms of the character studies, which is what I love. When it comes to taking a role, that’s the most important thing.”

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