The Witcher season 4: Meet Geralt's hansa

Regis

Perhaps the most exciting addition to the hansa is Regis, a "world-wise Barber-surgeon." At least, that's how Netflix described the character in their official casting announcement, which confirmed that The Matrix veteran Laurence Fishburne will play the fan-favorite character in season 4. But anyone who's read The Witcher books or played the Blood & Wine expansion of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt knows that Regis is much more than just some Barber-surgeon; he's a vampire.

In the books, Regis' secret isn't immediately apparent to Geralt and the budding hansa. But it doesn't take long before the witcher realizes that the humbe Barber-surgeon is more than meets the eye. You might expect that to lead to hositilities, but remember, Geralt has a reputation for not judging all things monstrous to be a threat.

Of course, it helps that Regis isn't your typical vampire. He doesn't care for feeding on people, and abstains from blood. The way that Andrzej Sapkowski describes Regis' thirst in the books makes it a metaphor for alcoholism, with Regis fitting the role of recovering addict. He's wise and wily, prone to philosophizing and imparting bits of knowledge he's accumulated over the centuries. Ironically, he also brews his own hooch, which livens things up in the hansa quite a bit.

Regis adds a fascinating element to the hansa, because he's the only one in it who's older than Geralt. He and the witcher often get sucked into debates, and unlike with characters like Jaskier or Ciri, Geralt can't pull the "I've seen more of the world than you" card. Regis keeps things interesting, and has a wonderful charm that has made him very well-loved by fans of the books and games alike. It'll be exciting to see what Fishburne does with the role.

Angoulême

The last member of Geralt's hansa is Angoulême, a young woman with a background in banditry. Geralt initially hears rumors of a fair-haired girl with a bandit group, and believing it to be Ciri, seeks them out. However, it turns out that this is a different bandit group than the Rats, and after a series of chaotic events, Angoulême joins the hansa's quest.

Angoulême is the only member of the hansa who we don't know the casting for, or even if she'll appear in season 4. She joins up a bit later than the rest, so it's entirely possible the show might save her for season 5.

Personally, I hope that it doesn't go that route, and instead introduces her late in season 4 so we get more time with her as a member of the hansa. Angoulême brings some much-needed mischief to the party; she doesn't have the world-weary weight or reservations of many of the other party members, and is prone to calling them quippy names like "uncle" (or "aunty" in Milva's case, a title which irks her).

After Geralt earns Angoulême's trust, she becomes a staunch ally to the witcher in his quest. Yet she remains chaotic, fun and filled with a youthful energy that keeps things interesting. She's a key addition to the group, and there's a lot of potential for the show to make her very entertaining.

And that's the whole hansa! The Witcher season 4 is currently slated to begin filming in March of 2024, so we're expecting to see it hit Netflix sometime in 2025. Which members of Geralt's hansa are you most excited to see on screen in the fourth season?

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