The Witcher’s next season will be a big change for the Netflix TV series in several ways. Not only will a new actor step into the shoes of Geralt of Rivia, but the series has a chance to fix some of the criticisms it’s faced from fans in past seasons.
Netflix debuted its adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski’s novels in 2019. Each of The Witcher’s three seasons has brought the adventures of Geralt of Rivia and his fellow witchers to life on-screen. Henry Cavill was cast in the lead role as Geralt and proved to be a popular choice. However, in October 2022 it was announced that Cavill would be departing his role as Geralt, with Liam Hemsworth (The Hunger Games) taking over the role for Season 4. With a major casting change in Season 4, this allows Netflix’s The Witcher series to reinvent itself.
A Breakdown of The Witcher’s Criticisms
Any adaptation of beloved source material is a big task, but The Witcher team not only has to deal with appeasing fans of the books but also those who know Geralt of Rivia through CD Projekt Red’s popular video game series. It was clear from the get-go that Netflix’s The Witcher adaptation would make some significant changes to the source material, whether it be expanding the subplot of the elves or shifting up the order of events in the timeline.
Some of these changes were welcomed by fans, particularly as The Witcher is built upon a lot of dense lore and mythology that could be difficult to translate into a TV format. However, other changes weren’t as readily accepted. Season 1 received complaints for the confusion of its multiple timelines, and Seasons 2 and 3 continued to veer off the path laid out in the books, which displeased many. Sapkowski himself has admitted he has no control over what goes on in the show, which annoyed fans who thought The Witcher author’s input should carry more weight.
The Witcher’s creative team has come out to defend many of its decisions, with producer Tomek Baginski saying changes and simplifications to the plot “not only make sense, [but] they are necessary.” Not just that, but many fans are also suspicious about Henry Cavill’s reasons for leaving The Witcher, which has led to further skepticism about the show. The true reason hasn’t yet been revealed, but one suggestion is that the demanding physicality and schedule of the role was too much for Cavill. Others believe it was due to his prospective return as Superman in the DCU, which never eventuated.
Season 4 Offers The Witcher a Fresh Start
With The Witcher hitting many roadblocks throughout its recent seasons, Season 4 offers the series a chance to change its fate. It’s not yet been revealed how Liam Hemsworth will be introduced as Geralt of Rivia and whether it will be addressed within the plot of the story. Some theories suggest The Witcher could enact a multiverse theory to explain Geralt’s new look. If this is the case, it would offer the series a chance to wipe the slate clean with some of its story elements and redirect the story in a way that is more faithful to the books.
Even if the multiverse theory doesn’t pan out, The Witcher’s upcoming season could change tact in many ways. With Seasons 2 and 3 being such a large departure from the source material, Season 4 offers ways for the show to return to that and adapt some of the plot lines in Sapkowski’s later novels. Many are looking forward to seeing how The Witcher series adapts some of the book’s major plotlines, particularly in introducing some of Geralt’s interesting companions. It’s already confirmed that Laurence Fishburne has been cast as Regis in Season 4 of the Netflix series, meaning fans will get to see the show tackle Geralt’s vampire friend on-screen. Regis is a character that many are excited to see, and if the Netflix series does it right, it could reinvigorate goodwill in the series.
The Witcher Season 4 could also stand to learn something from the animated movies Nightmare of the Wolf, and the upcoming The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep. The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf debuted at an excellent 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, while The Witcher: irens of the Deep’s first trailer already has fans raving. Much of the praise for both animated movies seems to be that they dig further into one short story or character from Sapkowski’s novels. Meanwhile, The Witcher on Netflix attempts to cover a huge amount of mythology or lore in one season. With The Witcher animated movies serving as a template, Season 4 of the Netflix series could change its pace and spend more time expanding on the more interesting details in Sapkowski’s world, rather than skating over them.
It’s clear that there’s no better time than Season 4 for Netflix’s The Witcher to reinvent itself, and with a new lead actor heading up the show, it could serve as a fresh start or, even a soft reboot, for The Witcher in the minds of audiences.
