At last, the cast of The Witcher, including Liam Hemsworth himself, is speaking up about how and why Henry Cavill left the hit Netflix show and what’s coming.
The Witcher quickly established itself as an instant success for Netflix when it premiered in 2019. Adapting the long-running novel/video game series, viewers were enthralled by the adventures of Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) as he battled various evil forces in a gorgeous fantasy world.
The show had a few delays between seasons, thanks to the pandemic and the 2023 Hollywood strikes, yet it still kept up the momentum in its three seasons. Now, it faces a new challenge with the news that Cavill would not return to the role. Liam Hemsworth has thus been cast and faces the daunting task of living up to Cavill’s legacy.
There’s been some fan speculation as to just why Cavill left and how Hemsworth landed the role. A new cover story for Entertainment Weekly has gone into detail from the cast and crew, breaking the silence on the real goings-on in this big change.
Why did Henry Cavill leave The Witcher?
Lauren Hissrich, the show’s creator and executive producer, addressed the rumors that Cavill was leaving over the old “creative differences” line.
Here's what Hissrich said to EW:
“He had plans for other roles that he really wanted to commit himself to. And for us, you don't want to hold someone and force them to be doing something that they don't want to do. I think that's why it felt like a really symbiotic decision."
It should be noted that in 2022, when the departure was announced, Cavill had been expecting to return as Superman in the DC movies, only for that franchise to be completely overhauled. But Cavill has kept busy in numerous roles, including the coming Highlander reboot.
Anya Chalotra, who plays Yennefer, related to that when she heard the news.
“I cried," Chalotra said. "I remember it so vividly. It really impacted me. We were so bonded to these people, and to lose such an important member of the team… I've put everything into this character. I started [Witcher] having not much work under my belt, and this show means the world to me. So it hurt."
Freya Allan added her own take, which also hopes to look forward to the rest of the cast staying around.
“Me, Anya, Joey [Batey], we're all still here. Some of Ciri's most exciting storylines are really coming to fruition in season 5. It's good to remind people that there's still the original people and there's something exciting to be able to see a new version of that Geralt character."
That is a big move for the fans and that includes Hemsworth himself.
How did Liam Hemsworth land The Witcher role?
Hissrich explained that Hemsworth’s casting was easy as “his name has been out there for a very long time.” The actor, however, said the offer to take over the role of Geralt “came out of nowhere” as he’d tried to ignore the talk of him becoming Geralt.
"It came out of nowhere. I was as surprised as anyone. I'm a massive fan of Henry's, and I'm a fan of what he did in the show.”
Hemsworth is well aware of the passionate fanbase that might refuse to accept anyone but Cavill as Geralt. He also lacks the unique voice and charisma of Cavill, which he says intrigued him as the challenge of taking on the role eventually won him to agreeing.
Hissrich praised Hemsworth for taking the role seriously and that there was never a question of canceling the show.
“We never really had serious conversations about the show not continuing. The show is bigger than one actor. It's bigger than me. There's a book series, there's a video game. We are the third entry into this. So, The Witcher lives whether or not we go."
Hemsworth nicely compared the change to “changing school halfway through the year.” The series does promise to address the shift with Chalotra adding, "you've got two very different people leading the show, and we're so impacted by that energy. It brings in a new energy, too."
It sounds like the producers and cast are fully aware that many viewers are so attached to Cavill as Geralt that they’d be wary of anyone else taking on the role. And yet, they’re also hopeful Hemsworth can live up to the part, putting his own stamp on it rather than just mimicking Cavill’s performance.
It may be best to wait until the season actually premieres and take in Hemsworth’s take as he and The Witcher crew are ready to continue the adventures of Geralt, no matter who plays him.
The Witcher season 4 premieres Oct. 30 on Netflix. Stay tuned for more news about The Witcher season 4.