Henry Cavill's portrayal of Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher was a huge success. He played the monster-hunting protagonist for three seasons of the fantasy show, ultimately departing the role for reasons not entirely known. Reportedly, Cavill was unhappy with the creative direction that the characters were taking the show, diverting heavily from the source material.
Despite the departure of Cavill, the show must go on. The Witcher quickly found its replacement for Geralt, casting Liam Hemsworth in the titular role ahead of its fourth season. From what we've seen so far, Hemsworth seems to be an ideal fit, but only time will tell whether his performance lives up to his predecessor.
Speaking about joining the show late and taking over from a fan-favorite actor, Hemsworth has admitted that it was tough to establish himself. He likened the experience to British sci-fi series Doctor Who, which purposely switches lead actors every few years to keep things fresh. "This was a really unique situation that I don’t think many actors have ever dealt with apart from maybe the people who have played Doctor Who characters over the years because predominantly the rest of the cast has stayed the same, but the lead actor has changed," he told Collider.
"For me, it felt like coming in and starting high school when everyone else is already friends and has relationships with each other and has been there since the beginning. At times you kind of feel like an outsider, and it’s nothing like any of the cast or crew has treated me in that way. Everyone has been nothing but welcoming and extremely aware of what the situation is."
When he says he doesn't think too many actors have experienced this, I think he's lowballing it slightly. Sure, there's Doctor Who, but there's also James Bond. Even Game of Thrones recast a hell of a lot of characters, from Daario Naharis to the Mountain. This is all to say, you're not alone, Liam Hemsworth.
The Witcher season 4 filming is nearly complete!
Filming on The Witcher season 4 is nearing its conclusion. Hemsworth recently revealed to ET that he's entering the final three weeks of production. "I’ve got three more weeks of shooting. I’ve been in the UK since the end of January and I’m really excited about it. It’s been a really fun shoot."
He went on to praise the cast, who welcomed him with open arms. "Everyone on the cast and crew has been amazing. I was a big fan of the video game a long time ago and to come play this character is super fun," he added.
Netflix has not set a release date for The Witcher season 4 yet. Expect it to premiere sometime in Summer 2025. And they're filming the fourth and fifth seasons of the show pretty much back to back, so hopefully there won't be a long wait between them. Season 5 will wrap up the series.
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