With the second half of The Witcher season 3 coming to our screens in a matter of days, the question on the lips of many fans is, “How exactly is Liam Hemsworth going to replace Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia?” Will the change be integrated into the storyline itself, or will the show simply change the actor and carry on as per usual?
Well, to start, we remind you that Hemsworth won’t start until the fourth season of the show, which has yet to be filmed. Cavill will still be around for the final three episodes of season 3, which drop on Netflix on July 27.
But as for season 4, The Witcher producer Tomek Baginski spoke to Radiotimes.com about their plans. “Lauren and her team – and there are a few really good writers returning to the writers’ room for season 4 – I think they cobbled together a really nice opening which is really true to the books,” he said, keen to put aside concerns book fans might have.
"This is a very little thing that I will tease – people who know the books really deeply also know that this is not a typical fantasy book. It’s not just one world. It’s not just one story happening in those books, in those stories. It’s a huge, huge world which is very, very complex… I will stop here!"
Baginski may be alluding to the fact that, as written by author Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher books eventually involve multiple universes, although not in a way that’s really comparable to, say, Marvel. Will they somehow help explain why Geralt suddenly has a new face in season 4?
Liam Hemsworth will play a “slightly different Geralt” on The Witcher
Baginski remained tight-lipped about specifics, but did confirm that he has seen Liam Hemsworth in the Geralt of Rivia costume. “I want to share with you but at the same time I don’t want to spoil the opening, he said. “I don’t want to spoil the fun of discovering this and I don’t want to take the power and that energy from Liam who now has to give his own face and his own voice to this character.”
"It will be a slightly different Geralt. I have actually seen how Liam looks as Geralt and I’m actually quite excited."
After announcing his departure in the role, Cavill made clear that he’s fully behind Hemsworth taking over for him. “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,” he said. “Liam, good sir, this character has such a wonderful depth to him, enjoy diving in and seeing what you can find.”
The Witcher seasons 1-2 and season 3 part 1 are now available to stream on Netflix. Part 2 is due out
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